Sat May 11 12:55pm ET
Field Level Media
The Phoenix Suns named Mike Budenholzer as their next head coach on Saturday morning.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed by the Suns, however The Athletic reported that it was a five-year contract worth over $50 million.
"We're excited to name Mike as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns and bring him back to his home state of Arizona," Suns owner Mat Ishbia said. "Mike has proven himself to be among the most successful head coaches in the NBA. He is the right leader to take us to the next level and reach our championship goals."
Budenholzer was hired for the role two days after Phoenix dismissed Frank Vogel. That move came on the heels of the Suns following up a 49-33 season by being unceremoniously swept in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Budenholzer, 54, is from Holbrook, Ariz. He was fired by Milwaukee in May 2023, just two years removed from leading the Bucks to an NBA title.
"I am honored to be named head coach of the Phoenix Suns, the team I grew up watching," Budenholzer said. "I would like to thank Mat Ishbia, (CEO) Josh Bartelstein and (general manager) James Jones for the opportunity to lead this team. I'm grateful to have a talented roster of players who are ready to compete and play a style of basketball that will bring out the best in all of them, and bring them together as we compete for championships."
A two-time NBA Coach of the Year, Budenholzer posted a 271-120 record in five seasons with the Bucks (2018-23) and a 213-197 mark in five campaigns with the Atlanta Hawks (2013-18).
"Mike's exceptional basketball acumen, championship pedigree and his standing as one of the NBA's premier coaches will be invaluable as we compete for a championship," Jones said. "We're confident that under his leadership our team will reach new levels of success."
One season into his latest tenure as head coach, Vogel helped Phoenix and a triumvirate of All-Stars -- Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and newcomer Bradley Beal -- challenge the 50-win mark despite injuries that disrupted the lineup regularly.
Vogel replaced Monty Williams, who was fired at the end of the 2022-23 season following a loss in the conference semifinals and subsequently hired as the Detroit Pistons' head coach.
Vogel, 50, has 480 career regular-season victories as head coach of the Indiana Pacers (2010-2016), Orlando Magic (2016-2018), Los Angeles Lakers (2019-2022) and Suns. He led the Lakers to the NBA title at the end of the pandemic-interrupted 2019-20 season.
Memphis Grizzlies guard/forward Desmond Bane (oblique) will sit out Thursday's action against Milwaukee. Bane has landed on the shelf after suffering an oblique strain against Brooklyn on Wednesday. The 26-year-old has shot an impressive 40.6 percent from deep through the first few games of the season to average 18.8 points with 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists. Memphis also lost Marcus Smart (ankle) on Wednesday, meaning it's again time for fantasy managers to put their trust in Jake LaRavia and Scotty Pippen Jr. The two performed well last season when the Grizzlies were troubled by injuries. Rookie Jaylen Wells is also a player to keep an eye on.
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (back) has been ruled out for Thursday's tilt against San Antonio. Back spasms limited Markkanen to only 17 minutes last time out against Sacramento, and the team will keep him out of action on Thursday after initially listing him as questionable for the game. Utah's frontcourt has also lost Taylor Hendricks (lower leg) this week, leaving Kyle Filipowski and John Collins in a position to benefit. Filipowski flirted with a double-double on Tuesday versus the Kings when he finally received a good chunk of minutes. Collins has been limited to a bench role this season but has been productive with 14.8 points and 6.3 rebounds in 21.0 minutes.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (ankle) will not play against Milwaukee on Thursday. Smart injured his right ankle on Wednesday versus Brooklyn, exiting the contest after logging only six minutes. The team is awaiting imaging results to determine the severity of Smart's injury. The veteran guard has had an awful time on the offensive end early in the season, shooting only 23.5 percent from the field, but his defensive ability will be a massive miss for the team. Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jaylen Wells are in line to see additional playing time on Thursday, with the Grizzlies lineup thin because of injuries.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) will play against Memphis on Thursday. The former MVP has been a regular on the injury report with right patella tendinitis, but the team has upgraded him from probable to available. The injury hasn't really limited Antetokounmpo, who has kicked off the 2024-25 campaign with four consecutive double-doubles. He has averaged 28.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 6.3 assists. With Khris Middleton (ankle) out of the lineup, Antetokounmpo is expected to have another big night, as he needs to do extra to help the team get back on track following a 1-3 start.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) is set to have "periodic" spells on the sidelines this season. Speaking during an appearance on SportsCenter, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Philadelphia plans to keep Embiid healthy for the playoffs by giving him "periodic time off at different points during the season." The former MVP is set to have routine check-ups on his knee, and this is going to be the "new normal" for Embiid. The 76ers superstar has yet to play this season but has completed multiple five-on-five scrimmages during a ramp-up process and could be available as soon as this weekend.
Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (elbow) has landed back on the injury report ahead of Thursday's clash with the Clippers. After missing one game with a sore elbow, the veteran star returned to action against the Lakers on Monday. But he could be back on the shelf again on Thursday with the elbow issue, with the team tagging him as questionable for the game. Ryan Dunn was filling in for Beal in the starting unit and produced a 13-point effort on Saturday versus Dallas. Royce O'Neale and Damion Lee are also in a position to benefit if Beal is out on Thursday.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (ankle) saw only six minutes of action in Wednesday's loss to Brooklyn. Smart rolled his right ankle and exited the contest without scoring any points. Memphis also lost Desmond Bane (oblique) in the contest, which opened up tons of minutes for the reserves. Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jake LaRavia have led the second unit for Memphis this season. There could also be additional minutes available for Jaylen Wells and John Konchar if Smart and Bane sit out Thursday's matchup against Milwaukee.
Chicago Bulls guard/forward Zach LaVine injured his left shoulder in Wednesday's 102-99 victory over Orlando. Speaking after the game, LaVine told reporters that he suffered a "subluxation" in his shoulder. He added that he had X-rays done, and everything was "OK." LaVine played through the injury on Wednesday but finished with only 11 points in 36 minutes. He shot 2-for-9 from the field. On the positive side, LaVine was able to tally his first double-double of the season by grabbing 10 rebounds. The Bulls star also recorded three assists. LaVine didn't seem too concerned about his shoulder injury on Wednesday, but the games are coming thick and fast, and it remains to be seen if he's available for Friday's contest against Brooklyn. Ayo Dosunmu and Dalen Terry should see additional playing time if LaVine lands on the shelf.
Memphis Grizzlies guard/forward Desmond Bane sustained an oblique injury in Wednesday's 119-106 loss to Brooklyn. The 26-year-old played only 17 minutes, scoring 10 points and grabbing six rebounds. Memphis is scheduled to finish off a back-to-back against Milwaukee on Thursday, and fantasy managers will need to monitor Bane's status closely. Scotty Pippen Jr., John Konchar, and Jaylen Wells could see more action without Bane. Pippen Jr. has proven himself as the best fantasy option of the three.
New Orleans Pelicans center Daniel Theis suffered an ankle injury in Wednesday's game against Golden State. He had soaked in just five minutes of action before hurting his right ankle. The German big man finished the contest scoreless while recording three rebounds. Theis has kicked off the year as New Orleans' starting center, averaging 4.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 16.0 minutes. Yves Missi will be in line for more playing time if Theis has to miss additional time, although the rookie himself battled a hip problem on Wednesday. With two bigs limited by health issues, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl logged a season-high 23 minutes. He had nine points with five rebounds and three assists. Robinson-Earl could be a speculative add for fantasy managers if Missi joins Theis on the sidelines.
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner left a second consecutive game early due to an illness on Wednesday. He logged 23 minutes in a 102-99 loss to Chicago, scoring seven points while registering three rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block. The German star was limited to 11 minutes on Monday versus Indiana. Fantasy managers are currently in a tough spot regarding Wagner, but hopefully, he can fully shake off the illness before the next game. Orlando returns to the court on Friday against Cleveland.
New York's C Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a double-double, scoring 44 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in a 116-107 win over Miami on Wednesday, Oct. 30.
Toronto Raptors' G Gradey Dick scored 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting in a 133-138 loss to Charlotte on Wednesday, Oct. 30. Dick is owned in only 15.4% leagues.
According to Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area, Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (back) is unavailable for Wednesday's contest with the New Orleans Pelicans. Wiggins is dealing with a lower back strain that will keep him out of the lineup for the second consecutive contest. With the 29-year-old missing in action, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, and Jonathan Kuminga will take on extra minutes for the second straight game.
According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, Utah Jazz power forward Lauri Markkanen is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the San Antonio Spurs. On Tuesday versus Sacramento, Markkanen left the game with back spasms. Despite the setback, he's averaged 18.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in the season's first four games. Fantasy managers, if the 27-year-old cannot suit up, forwards John Collins and Kyle Filipowski will likely see more minutes on the court than usual.
Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports that Memphis Grizzlies guardJohn Konchar (foot) will suit up against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. Konchar has missed two consecutive contests due to right foot soreness. The Grizzlies are in the front half of aback-to-back set, so his workload will likely be limited. Ja Morant (thigh) was also cleared to play and will join Konchar in the team's backcourt.
Memphis Grizzlies guardJa Morant(thigh) is available to suit up against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. He was listed as questionable earlier today and will return from a one-game absence due to right thigh soreness. The 25-year-old has posted two double-doubles through his first three games, averaging 20.7 points, 7.3 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 25.7 minutes per contest.
New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (shin) is officially available ahead of Wednesday's game against the Miami Heat. Hart was a game-time decision heading into this contest, but it appears he was able to get through his pregame routine without any issues. He figures to resume his spot in the starting five ahead of Wednesday's game. Hart is averaging 16 points, nine rebounds, and 2.7 assists across 33 minutes in three games this season. Fantasy managers can go ahead and get Hart in their lineups ahead of tip-off.
Miami Heat guard Josh Richardson (calf) has been ruled out ahead of Wednesday's game against the New York Knicks. Richardson has yet to play this season as he continues to deal with multiple injuries. The Heat are calling him day-to-day, but it remains to be seen when Richardson will get on the court again. In the meantime, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Duncan Robinson should see more minutes in the rotation. Richardson is not worth a look in fantasy formats when healthy.
According to Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (calf) will suit up Wednesday versus the Brooklyn Nets and will likely start despite a sore right calf. Edey's rookie season could be off to a better start, as he's averaging only 7.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 0.3 blocks in 16 minutes during his first four regular season outings. The big man's minutes should be limited, and he will not impact DFS play much tonight.