Mike Budenholzer is already a hot commodity on the NBA coaching market, and the Milwaukee Bucks are looking to throw their name into the mix now that they have officially been eliminated from the postseason.
It was previously believed that the New York Knicks’ job was Budenholzer’s top choice, but Marc Berman of the New York Post reports that the 48-year-old coach is now preparing to pitch himself to both the Knicks and Bucks. Milwaukee is a much better team at the moment, and the thought of coaching Giannis Antetokounmpo is one that should intrigue Budenholzer, especially with uncertainty surrounding Kristaps Porzingis and his torn ACL.
As Berman notes, the Bucks will be moving to a new arena and are “not afraid to overpay for the right coach.” You would think Knicks owner James Dolan could offer Budenholzer more money, but that may not be the case.
“Budenholzer and his coaches’ approach to development is top-notch,” one source told Berman.
The Knicks have already interviewed numerous candidates while the Bucks are just getting started. Interim head coach Joe Prunty had a chance to state his case for the full-time job, but getting knocked out of the playoffs by a Boston Celtics team that is ravaged with injuries to key players did not help.
Budenholzer and the Hawks parted ways last week after a 24-58 season with a stripped-down roster. He previously led the team to the playoffs in his first four seasons, including a trip to the conference finals in 2015.
