The NBA is a business, and every front office runs its team like such, making difficult decisions at any given time, even if they don’t sit well with fans.
That was the case of the Milwaukee Bucks with Mike Budenholzer, who was let go on Thursday after five years with the team.
With Coach Bud out of the Bucks, it’s three head coaches from the past four NBA champions that have lost their jobs.
It all started with Frank Vogel at the end of last season. He couldn’t take the Los Angeles Lakers to the postseason after being eliminated in the first round the previous season, and the front office parted ways with him. Vogel won the 2020 NBA championship in the bubble but could never return to the Finals.
Before Budenholzer, Nick Nurse, the 2019 NBA champion, was fired by the Toronto Raptors after the relationship took several hits over the years. Nurse is now one of the most sought-after coaches for teams trying to add a new helmsman.
The most recent case was Budenholzer, who led the Milwaukee Bucks to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference but failed to make it past the first round. After the Miami Heat upset the Bucks, the front office parted with the 2021 NBA champion.
Out of the last four NBA champions, the only one with a job is Steve Kerr. He’s made the Golden State Warriors a dynasty and is still going strong with the Dubs. He’s trying to add another championship this season, leading his team to the Western Conference semifinals so far.
Damian Lillard Criticizes Bucks For Firing Mike Budenholzer
The firing of Budenholzer sparked a lot of reactions around the league, and Damian Lillard had some things to say about it, calling out the Bucks for making this decision. Milwaukee was a perennial candidate and actually won the title two years ago, so for Dame, this was crazy.
Now, the Bucks have to start looking for a new head coach that hopefully can take them to the promised land again. Giannis Antetokounmpo said that this season wasn’t a failure, and perhaps the firing of Budenholzer is another step to success.
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