Another head coach working with Kevin Durant has been fired, and NBA legend Paul Pierce isn’t holding back about who he thinks is to blame.
Following Mike Budenholzer’s dismissal from the Phoenix Suns after their disastrous season, Pierce pointed the finger directly at the superstar forward.
Phoenix Suns limped to an eleventh-place finish in the Western Conference with a disappointing 36-46 record, missing the playoffs for the first time in four years.
While poor rotations, roster depth issues, and front office passivity could all share blame, Pierce zeroed in on Kevin Durant’s influence.
“I hate to say it, but KD is a coach killer,” Paul Pierce boldly declared on the Speak Show.
“When you have a guy of KD’s caliber like him and LeBron (James), expectations come with them. So as a coach, if you don’t fulfill those expectations you’re always on the hot seat,“ he added.
Durant’s NBA journey has been littered with fired coaches at an alarming rate. During his Oklahoma City Thunder tenure, both Peter John Carlesimo and Scott Brooks saw their positions terminated.
The Brooklyn Nets era claimed Kenny Atkinson and Steve Nash as casualties. With the Suns, the body count continues to rise with Monty Williams and Frank Vogel preceding Budenholzer in the Durant-era coaching graveyard.
Only Steve Kerr, who guided Durant and the Golden State Warriors to two championships, escaped the apparent curse.
Despite consistently playing alongside stellar talent, Durant’s championship success remains limited to his Warriors stint.
This paradox has fueled massive expectations for his teams and, according to Pierce, created unbearable pressure on his coaches.
In Oklahoma City, Durant partnered with future MVPs Russell Westbrook and James Harden, plus defensive stalwart Serge Ibaka.
In Brooklyn, Durant formed a super team with Harden and Kyrie Irving that ultimately imploded.
Now in Phoenix, his collaboration with fellow stars Devin Booker and Bradley Beal has yielded nothing but disappointment.
