The Suns parted ways with veteran coach Mike Budenholzer following one dismal season that featured a fast start before a maddening slide out of postseason contention for a high-priced roster that included Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

The Suns made the unsurprising announcement on Monday, one day after the franchise finished with a 36-46 record which put them 11th in the Western Conference.

They lost nine of their last 10 games, failing to qualify for the play-in tournament.

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

The 55-year-old Budenholzer was hired in May, replacing Frank Vogel, who also had a one-year tenure that ended in disappointment. Coach Bud — an Arizona native — won an NBA title with the Bucks in 2021, beating the Suns in six games in the Finals.

The Pelicans fired basketball operations chief David Griffin, 52, ending a six-year chapter during which the club drafted Zion Williamson but still struggled to win consistently with three different coaches.

College football: Former LSU WR Kyren Lacy, who was found dead Saturday night in Houston, died by an apparent suicide in his car while being pursued by authorities, according to a Harris County (Texas) sheriff’s report. Lacy, 24, had been facing criminal charges stemming from a fatal car accident in Louisiana in December.

NFL: Eight-time Pro Bowl CB Patrick Peterson retired as a member of the Cardinals, the team that selected him fifth overall in the 2011 draft. Peterson, 34, spent 10 of his 13 seasons with the Cardinals.

WNBA: The Lynx acquired G Karlie Samuelson, 29, from the Mystics in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2026 draft.