Holiday weighs in on Beal discourse amid Suns HC firing

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Jrue Holiday weighs in on Bradley Beal discourse amid Suns HC firing

By Kevin McCormick | Last updated Apr 15, 2025 5:00 PM ET

After failing to make the postseason, the Phoenix Suns decided to part ways with head coach Mike Budenholzer. As developments of what led to his departure start to trickle out, Jrue Holiday finds himself having to weigh in on the situation.

While reporting on the Suns' latest coach firing, insider Chris Haynes touched on a conversation Budenholzer had with Bradley Beal. When he first arrived in Phoenix, he told the All-Star guard he wanted him to embrace a role similar to Holiday's on the Milwaukee Bucks.

On the Haynes Briefs Show, inside the Phoenix Suns’ turmoil and incidents that led to Mike Budenholzer losing the team and ultimately his job. Also a list of coaching candidates Suns are expected to look at. Subscribe. #haynesbriefs

Full EP: https://t.co/yDUTC9FDQt pic.twitter.com/Ryzz7OlDKT
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) April 14, 2025

Further developments have shown that this exchange between Beal and Budenholzer did not go over well. Beal felt slighted by the remark, stating he didn't want to be compared to one of his NBA counterparts.

I know about this story it is true - Beal told Bud "Don't ever disrespect me like that. Don't ever tell me to play like another player" https://t.co/YRCHwhEEbn
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) April 15, 2025

While preparing to help lead the Boston Celtics to a second straight championship, Holiday now finds himself caught up in this discourse. Following practice on Tuesday, he weighed in on his name popping up in such reports. Holiday admitted he didn't understand the parallels given he and Beal are very different players.

"We're different players. Brad is an elite scorer," Holiday told reporters. "I just don't know why people gotta bring me in it. Let me just do me, go out here and try to win as many rings as I can."

Throughout his career, Holiday has been widely regarded as one of the top two-way backcourt players in the league. His complementary skill set helped raise the Bucks' ceiling, filling in the gaps alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. Trading for Holiday paid big dividends for the Bucks, capturing an NBA championship in 2021.

Seeing that Beal doesn't have the same defensive reputation as Holiday, wanting them to play a similar type of role is puzzling. This disconnect, along with numerous other reasons, likely played a part in Phoenix's swift removal of the longtime coach.

Kevin McCormick

Kevin McCormick is a basketball writer for Yardbarker with years of experience in the journalism field. Based out of Philadelphia, he graduated from Holy Family University with a degree in Sports Management in 2019. Since then, Kevin has gone on to build a career in sports writing

More must-reads: