The Phoenix Suns have moved on from Mike Budenholzer after just one season, and they may be eyeing another Western Conference head coach as a replacement.
Budenholzer was fired by the Suns on Monday after the team won just 36 games and missed the playoffs in his lone season in Phoenix. The Suns are expected to cast a wide net in their search for a new coach, and that search could include New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green.
The Pelicans, who also missed the playoffs, made a big change on Monday when they fired longtime executive David Griffin. They have yet to publicly commit to Green.
Before the Suns fired Budenholzer, there were reports that Green could emerge as a candidate for the Phoenix job.
While Willie Green remains in place as New Orleans’ head coach, he’s been another name, in addition to the recently-extended Chauncey Billups, league figures have mentioned as a possible replacement in Phoenix, should the Suns make a change on their bench: https://t.co/g5p24ORawJ https://t.co/EAQ2syWVvW
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) April 14, 2025
Reporter Marc Stein noted that Green, a former NBA player, has relationships with Devin Booker and Suns owner Mat Ishbia. Green was an assistant coach in Phoenix for two seasons before he was hired by the Pelicans.
Chauncey Billups, obviously, is going nowhere now after a contract extension in Portland.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 14, 2025
Yet links between Willie Green and the Suns have been circulating, league sources say, because of Green's relationships with Mat Ishbia and Devin Booker.
More NBA: https://t.co/3dNEEu2e4M https://t.co/YENxv35WFH
Green remains under contract with New Orleans. He led the team to the playoffs last year with a 49-33 record, but they took a big step back this season and won just 21 games. That does not mean Green is going to be fired, but it is possible the Pelicans would not fight very hard to keep him.
One of the reported reasons that the Suns chose to fire Budenholzer is that they did not believe the former NBA champion could coexist with Booker. Green’s established relationship with Booker might make him the name to watch in Phoenix.
