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Milwaukee Bucks Looking for New Head Coach

Bucks
Mike Budenholzer was fired following the Bucks' loss to the Heat | Image by Benny Sieu/USA Today Sports

The Milwaukee Bucks are in the market for a new head coach after firing veteran Mike Budenholzer on Thursday.

Budenholzer spent five years as the head coach in Milwaukee, leading the Bucks to five playoff appearances and their first NBA Championship since the 1970s.

Milwaukee had the best record in the Eastern Conference this season but was upset by the eighth-seed Miami Heat in five games during the first round of the playoffs. Following the upset, the franchise chose to make a change with two years remaining on Budenholzer’s contract.

“This was a very difficult decision,” Bucks President Peter Feigin and General Manager Jon Horst said in a letter to fans via the team’s Twitter account.

“Bud helped lead our team for five incredible seasons, to the Bucks’ first title in 50 years, and into an era of sustained success. We are grateful for the culture of winning and leadership that Bud helped create in Milwaukee. There is an opportunity for us to refocus and reenergize our efforts as we continue building toward our next championship season,” Feigin and Horst said in the letter.

The former San Antonio Spurs assistant was in his second stint as a head coach in the league, previously coaching the Atlanta Hawks to four playoff appearances in five years.

Budenholzer has only missed the playoffs once in his 10 seasons as a head coach. He holds an 801-484 record and is a two-time NBA Coach of the Year.

Milwaukee’s decision introduced the third open head coaching position in the NBA, joining Detroit and Toronto.

Houston has made the only offseason hire so far, hiring former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka last week.

Here are some coaches Milwaukee might consider replacing Budenholzer.

Charles Lee, assistant coach — Milwaukee Bucks
Lee has interviewed for other teams this offseason and is a known finalist for the Detroit Pistons job. The 38-year-old seems poised to land a head coaching position eventually, and taking over his current team would allow some familiarity and continuity. Other assistants that have become head coaches after working with Budenholzer include Darvin Ham, Quin Snyder, and Taylor Jenkins — who all made the playoffs this season.

Frank Vogel, former head coach — Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers
Vogel also interviewed for other jobs recently, impressing the Houston Rockets, according to Sports Illustrated. Vogel won the NBA Championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 but followed it with two sub-optimal seasons and was fired after posting a 33-49 record in 2022. He also had success in his six years with the Pacers but could not replicate it in Orlando.

Nick Nurse, former head coach — Toronto Raptors
Nurse is a difficult name to ignore because of his success. Teams will be interested in Nurse because he was a former NBA Coach of the Year and the man who coached Toronto to its first NBA Championship.

Kenny Atkinson, assistant coach — Golden State Warriors, former head coach — Brooklyn Nets
The Charlotte Hornets tried to hire Atkinson last year, but he turned them down. Atkinson has a long history as an assistant coach in the league but subpar results in his four-year stint as head coach of the Nets. After spending time on Steve Kerr’s Golden State staff, Atkinson might be ready for another chance.

Mike D’Antoni, former head coach — Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets
D’Antoni has built a reputation as a coach teams lean on when they have a veteran core and want to reach the next level. He led a successful turnaround with the Phoenix Suns that saw the team reach back-to-back Western Conference Finals, helped the New York Knicks return to the playoffs, and led the Houston Rockets to franchise-record-breaking regular seasons and the cusp of the NBA Finals.

Sam Cassell, assistant coach — Philadelphia 76ers
The former NBA point guard is quickly ascending the coaching ranks. He has made three different stops as an assistant in the NBA over the last 14 years and spent an additional 14 as a player — five with the Bucks. He would bring a veteran presence that players respect, and he currently has the fourth-best odds to land the job, according to SportsLine.

Mark Jackson, current broadcaster — NBA, former head coach — Golden State Warriors
Jackson was the coach who helped rebuild the Golden State Warriors before Steve Kerr came in to unlock the team’s potential. While that might make him a more intriguing candidate for a rebuilding team, his experience as a player and coach and his successful run with Golden State could also appeal to Milwaukee.

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