NBA postseason hangover begins as Pelicans and Suns kickstart high profile firings

The final round of the NBA regular season decided what teams in both conferences would advance and what quartet would have to navigate the play-in round.

For many teams however, the season had already ground to a halt and both the New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns have made personnel decisions as a consequence.

VP David Griffin out at the Pelicans

Vice President of basketball operations David Griffin was let go by the franchise on Monday after a 61-loss season.

Owner Gayle Benson made the announcement but did not address the future of head coach Willie Green, who was hired by Griffin in 2021. Green has a 148-180 record.

Griffin had been in charge of the Pelicans since April 17, 2019. The franchise posted a record of 209-263 with just two playoff appearances during his tenure.

Suns react

The Phoenix Suns fired head coach Mike Budenholzer on Monday, less than 24 hours after the team with the NBA’s highest payroll finished with a 36-46 mark.

“Competing at the highest level remains our goal, and we failed to meet expectations this season. Our fans deserve better. Change is needed,” the team said in a statement Monday.

The Suns ended the season in 11th place in the Western Conference, three games out of a spot in the play-in tournament in Budenholzer’s only season as head coach. He was hired to replace Frank Vogel, who also was dismissed after a single season last year.

Phoenix made the playoffs the past four seasons, and owner Mat Ishbia went all in on spending for his team, paying the combination of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal a total of $150 million this season.

He thought Budenholzer was the right coach to lead the team, an Arizona native who won the 2021 NBA title with the Milwaukee Bucks, and gave him a five-year, $50 million contract. The coach and the players never meshed, however, according to reports as the Suns now have to look for its fourth head coach in four seasons and its eighth since 2015-16.

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