The Phoenix Suns are entering a new era after hiring Head Coach Mike Budenholzer, and it appears that the 55-year-old skipper is already making some small changes.
Suns star Bradley Beal explained that Budenholzer is forcing the team to be more aggressive and that it’s a bit of an adjustment.
It's preseason, but so far the Suns are tied for 3rd in the NBA in 3PAs, at 44 per game. Bradley Beal talked about making that mental adjustment: "I'm trying to program myself to be more aggressive. Bud is forcing me to do that. He's forcing all of us to be like that." pic.twitter.com/1NRkCkqdoh
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) October 12, 2024
“I’m trying to program myself to just be more aggressive,” Beal said. “Bud is forcin’ me to do that. He’s forcin’ all of us to be like that, like shoot more 3s, look to shoot, look to be aggressive.
“It’s different in a lot of ways, so we’re all tryna kinda program ourselves to stop passin’ up shots, be more mindful of shootin’ 3s. I shot a stepback 2 at the top of the key, and I was mad. I’m like, ‘S—, if I take one more step back, it’s a 3.’ So, it’s just tryna get that mindset back, but I think just bein’ more aggressive helps me in that fashion.”
Phoenix was one of the most disappointing teams in the NBA last season, and it led to the firing of former head coach Frank Vogel.
The Suns entered the season with major goals after assembling a star trio of Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, but the team only won 49 games in the regular season before being swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Now, Phoenix is entering its second season with the aforementioned trio, and the hope has to be that Budenholzer will be able to get the team to play to its full potential.
Booker helped the Suns reach the NBA Finals back in the 2020-21 season, and he’s trying to return to that stage now that he has Beal and Durant as teammates. Phoenix is still trying to win its first championship in franchise history.
There will be situations where players like Beal, Booker and Durant have to share the ball, but Budenholzer seemingly doesn’t want them to be shy about shooting it. Among those three players last season, Booker took the most shots per game, followed by Durant and then Beal.
Of course, there is more to the Suns than just their Big 3, and Budenholzer’s message likely applies to players up and down the roster. Phoenix will need its supporting cast to provide its stars with some help this season if the team wants to end up being a contender in the championship race.
The Suns will open their regular season on Oct. 23 against the Los Angeles Clippers, giving folks their first chance to see how Budenholzer approaches things in a game that matters for Phoenix.
