Sources: Hawks grant Mike Budenholzer permission to meet with Suns about head coach opening The Atlanta Hawks have granted coach Mike Budenholzer permission to speak with the Phoenix Suns about their head-coaching vacancy, league sources told ESPN. Budenholzer is planning to meet with Suns officials early next week, league sources said. A native of Arizona, Budenholzer has two years, $14 million-plus left on his contract. So far, the Suns' coaching search appears focused on securing a candidate with a successful head-coaching resume in the NBA. The Suns still are considering interim coach Jay Triano, who replaced Earl Watson three games into the regular season. Considered one of the NBA's best tacticians. Budenholzer had been the Hawks' president of basketball operations until he surrendered front office control with the arrival of new GM Travis Schlenk in the spring of 2017. Budenholzer was the NBA Coach of the Year in 2015-16, after a 60-victory regular season and a trip to the Eastern Conference finals. The Hawks reached the playoffs in four of his first five seasons. Atlanta dropped to 24-58 this season with the organization's mandate to shed salary, gather draft picks and future assets starting to take shape under Schlenk. Budenholzer spent 17 years as an assistant under Spurs coach Gregg Popovich before he was hired in Atlanta in 2013. He won four NBA titles as a member of Spurs' staff.
Honestly I think Atlanta would probably like to fire Mike and not pay him $14 million the next two years. This is an ideal scenario for them.
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/23222036/mike-budenholzer-coach-atlanta-hawks-meets-phoenix-suns Like I said, the Hawks are hoping this works out. They'd love to get out from paying him $14 million the next two years, signing a cheaper coach while they rebuild.
If Bud and the Hawks are that open to a resolution i would be kinda shocked if other teams don't jump on the opportunity...Denver, Memphis, NY, Milwaukee and maybe others should see what they can do here.
I thought the Budenholzer love fell off when it was revealed that he was the driving force behind the Dwight contract?
You'd think a coach of his caliber would try to avoid another rebuild project but I guess not. I know the Bucks could surely use a guy like him. Edit: Holy ****, I was aware that Bud was an asst. to Pop but had no idea he was there for 17 years!!
It's wrong to hire him now. Suns would be better to tank 2 more years to become 76ers. ...... Then hire him in 2020 summer.
