The NBA has started feeling like a revolving door for coaches lately. This season alone, several names have been axed mid-contract. With so much shuffling of the coaches, a question is on a lot of minds: Is it really about poor coaching, or is something deeper at play? Mike Brown, Taylor Jenkins, Michael Malone, and Mike Budenholzer were all dismissed. When sports demand patience for success, immediate results are what teams expect from their ‘investment’. Even during the off-season, teams didn’t hold back. J.B. Bickerstaff, Monty Williams, and Steve Clifford were also shown the door. With this many firings, Matt Barnes has a say, as you can’t help but ask—what’s going on behind the scenes?

Phoenix’s move raised eyebrows, but Denver’s decision to cut Michael Malone just stunned everyone. This man coached the Nuggets to a title in 2023, bringing an end to a drought of almost 5 decades. Even after a four-game skid, Denver sat in a position for home-court advantage. But just three games before the regular season ended, he was out. “This decision was not made lightly and was evaluated very carefully,” said team vice chairman Josh Kroenke. Was it just results, or has the NBA turned into a place where coaches get blamed too easily?

As fans and players tried to understand the decision, Kevin Garnett pointed his frustration in a different direction. In a raw talk with Paul Pierce, Garnett blamed today’s players for the reason behind this trend of coaches getting fired. According to him, they avoid accountability and resist coaching. This struck a chord with Warriors legend Matt Barnes shared the video with a clear message: “Perfectly said bro… This goes for all levels.. The entitlement, running from the grind the attitudes.. There’s gonna time when you can’t run & then what?? Humble yourselves, we only here to help 🙏🏽”. It appears he agrees with KG’s view on today’s players feeling entitled and not following their coach’s lead.

So, what did KG really say in that clip? He began by calling out the younger generation for their lack of accountability. “The younger generation don’t want no accountability,” he said. Garnett pointed out that coaching is supposed to be about identifying weaknesses and working on them. But today’s players, according to him, are too entitled. In his words, “You listened, you learned, you grew, and you developed. The minute you stop listening, all four of them things go out the window”. According to KG, once players stop listening, they stop improving. “Mike Malone is probably looking like, ‘man, first off, the NBA feels like a daycare,’” he ended. It’s a blunt critique, but it raises a valid point: has the game changed so much that coaches no longer have the same influence?

Suns’ coaching carousel and drama behind the scenes: Is ownership to blame?”

Something’s clearly off in Phoenix. Three coaches in three years? That’s not how you build a contender. It started with Monty Williams—he took the Suns to the 2021 Finals but got the boot in 2023. Then came Frank Vogel, who barely lasted a season. Now, Mike Budenholzer’s out too after finishing 36–46. You’ve got to ask—how is this team supposed to build trust or rhythm with this kind of turnover?

Sure, Budenholzer’s firing didn’t shock anyone, but it still says a lot. With stars like Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, missing the playoffs wasn’t just disappointing—it was a complete failure. A shake-up might have been necessary, but at what point does it stop being about the coach and start being about the front office?

Matt Barnes called out the behind-the-scenes drama on his All The Smoke podcast, pointing to Bradley Beal’s agent’s connection to the team’s CEO. In his words, “Mark is Beal’s agent. Mark’s son is the CEO of the Suns.” Barnes claimed Beal’s no-trade clause derailed a potential Jimmy Butler trade, causing even more dysfunction. “Beal exercised his no-trade clause and completely plugged up and clogged up and f***** up that deal,” Barnes said, highlighting the friction between ownership, trades, and player performance.

Barnes didn’t hold back, also addressing Beal’s underperformance since joining the Suns. “The team has been bad. He hasn’t been very good.” Barnes remarked, pointing out that Beal’s poor performance has added to the team’s struggles. With all these factors combined, Barnes suggested that the Suns’ leadership issues and player drama are making it harder for the team to succeed. The ongoing turmoil in Phoenix raises serious questions about how the ownership is managing the franchise.