After an early exit in the 2023 NBA playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks fired head coach Mike Budenholzer this week.
Budenholzer’s exit creates a major vacancy within an organization that has had a lot of success in recent seasons, and the team certainly expects to be in title contention for years to come.
For that reason, Milwaukee’s job opening will likely attract countless quality candidates, and if that’s the case, the Bucks would be wise to take their time with the search.
That’s exactly what the expectation is, according to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
Reporting on Mike Budenholzer’s dismissal as Bucks coach for SportsCenter pic.twitter.com/D4tNAXL22c
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 4, 2023
“This will be a really attractive job in the marketplace,” Wojnarowski said. “I’m told that the Bucks are going to take their time as they search for their next head coach.”
Milwaukee’s series loss to the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs stunned the entire NBA world.
The Bucks, considered major title threats by many, lasted just five games against the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Budenholzer, who was coaching through a personal tragedy during the series, could only watch as his squad struggled to slow down Jimmy Butler and the pesky Heat.
The veteran coach made some controversial decisions during the series — particularly during Game 5 — which may have contributed to his firing.
He will certainly land on his feet, as he has a solid head-coaching resume that includes an NBA championship, but Milwaukee will have a new skipper when the 2023-24 campaign begins.
If the organization makes the right hire, it could be right back in the thick of the championship race next season.
Time will tell how Milwaukee’s search unfolds.
NEXT:
NBA Writer Shares A Top HC Target For The Bucks
