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The Milwaukee Bucks let go of their head coach Mike Budenholzer after a stunning collapse in the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs. They had the best record in the league and were, by far, the better team on paper against the 8th-seeded and injury-riddled Miami Heat. They became just the sixth 1st seed in NBA history to lose in the first round against the 8th seed.
Although Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo technically didn't play three games, they got their lone win in the series when he was injured and lost both games when he was on the floor.
The seeds to fire Mike Budenholzer were planted back in 2019. They were up 2-0 against the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals after being the top seed in the East. He couldn't counter the "Giannis Wall" by Nick Nurse's Raptors and lost the series 2-4. It was just his second season with the team, and they reached the conference finals, but the idea that Mike Budenholzer cannot make adjustments in the postseason started to float around.
However, his job was truly in jeopardy after the 2020 playoffs when the 1st-seeded Bucks lost to none other than the 5th-seeded Miami Heat in the East semifinals. Then, after winning the title in 2021 and coming close in 2022 without Middleton, the chatter of firing Mike Budenholzer quieted down, until this year's embarrassing collapse.
It is not just that the Bucks lost to the 8th seed, but the manner in which they lost. Most of the games were winnable, and it came down to important decisions down the stretch. Mike Budenholzer didn't call a timeout when he should have, didn't add any wrinkle to the offense, didn't double or blitz a red-hot Jimmy Butler, didn't run exclusive plays for Antetokounmpo or Middleton down the stretch and much more.
Milwaukee is now a hot destination for coaches because Giannis Antetokounmpo is at the peak of his powers. The Bucks are now going to make sure they hire the right candidate after Mike Budenholzer.
Who can replace Mike Budenholzer as the Milwaukee Bucks head coach?
Many coaches have lost their jobs in the last few years, especially winning coaches. Counting Mike Budenholzer, three of the last four championship coaches have been sacked. Frank Vogel was fired by the LA Lakers, Steve Nash was sent home by the Brooklyn Nets and Nick Nurse ended his stint with the Toronto Raptors. Additionally, Mark Jackson still remains available along with a few other names such as Becky Hammon, Igor Kokoskov and Sam Cassell.
Here is a look at a few potential candidates for the role:
#1 - Tyronn Lue
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Milwaukee Bucks are not in a hurry to fill the role and might wait for a current active coach to be available. He said, on NBA Countdown:
"Outside of the team, I think you look not just at coaches who are available in the marketplace, but Milwaukee is in a position where maybe they can wait out some coaches who are technically not available, still under contract with other teams. See how these playoffs play out. Is there a coach or two who either becomes free with the team they're at, or if there is a conversation to be had with a team about a potential coach?"
Tyronn Lue of the LA Clippers fits that description. He is a very accomplished coach who is widely regarded as one of the best coaches in the league. He is famous for his in-game adjustments and getting the best out of role players, and that is exactly what the Milwaukee Bucks were missing with Mike Budenholzer.
The Clippers haven't had any success in the Kawhi-PG era. They are yet to make the NBA Finals, and the last time we saw a healthy playoff run from the two superstars, they gave up a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets in the 2020 NBA playoffs. This year, once again, the two stars were injured, and many have speculated that Ty Lue might be annoyed at the situation and want out.
If that is indeed true, the Bucks should definitely wait and see if he is available.
#2 - Doc Rivers
Just like Tyronn Lue, Doc Rivers of the Philadelphia 76ers also fits the description. He is infamous for his lack of playoff adjustments so this fit makes little sense for the Milwaukee Bucks, but he is certainly a very good coach who will be a change after Mike Budenholzer. He was the NBA Coach of the Year in 2000 and was named one of the top 15 coaches in NBA history.
The 76ers just got obliterated by the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of their conference semifinals, despite getting Embiid back in the lineup. Rivers has blown several leads in his career, and if he fails to get the job done once again, the Sixers might look at other options.
#3 - Frank Vogel
LA Lakers former coach Frank Vogel won the title with the team in 2020 but was let go in 2022 after not even making it to the play-in tournament. However, many felt that he was made the scapegoat, and it actually wasn't his fault that the team was horrible. Vogel is known as a defensive-minded coach, and the roster constructed was nowhere near a defensive one.
Vogel also had to deal with injuries to his stars and a roster filled with aging players like Rajon Rondo, Trevor Ariza, Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook, who were all past their prime.
If Frank Vogel is handed the Milwaukee Bucks roster, which is a great defensive unit, he can do wonders with Giannis Antetokounmpo. He coached power forward Anthony Davis through a championship run and has experience dealing with a superstar like LeBron James.
#4 - Nick Nurse
Nick Nurse was let go earlier this year after a 41-41 season and losing in the play-in tournament. After winning the title in 2019 with Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors had a 53-win season in 2020 but came up short in Game 7 against the Boston Celtics in the semifinals. Since then, they have been mediocre year after year with a 27-45 finish in 2021.
Nick Nurse is also a defensive-minded coach, and giving him the keys to the Bucks roster would be incredible. He outcoached Mike Budenholzer and stopped Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2019, so he will provide some new insights to the team. Nurse was the NBA Coach of the Year in 2020.
#5 - Charles Lee
Charles Lee was the associate head coach under Mike Budenholzer and technically the next in line after coach Bud was fired. He will likely be the interim coach while the organization interviews candidates, and he could get the final job as well. He played in the Patriot League in the early 2000s and overseas in Germany, Israel and Belgium. He won the title with the Bucks in 2021 and knows the team very well.
Assistants under Mike Budenholzer, such as Quin Snyder, Taylor Jenkins and Darvin Ham, have been excellent with their new teams, and Lee could as well. He recently interviewed for the position of the Raptors head coach and is also in the running for the Detroit Pistons job. The Milwaukee Bucks might snatch him up before he leaves town and joins another team.
