The Atlanta Hawks just announced they have “mutually agreed to part ways” with coach Mike Budenholzer. This is a surprise only in that Budenholzer hasn’t yet taken another job, which could happen momentarily. But if he takes another job now, the Hawks could well be owed nothing for his services.
Budenholzer was under contract for two more years at $14 million. The Hawks granted permission for him to speak with the Phoenix Suns, after which he withdrew his name from consideration, and presumably the New York Knicks. The second interview was surely a point of departure. His interest in the Phoenix opening could have been ascribed to him being from Arizona; his interview with the Knicks meant he was mostly interested in getting out of Atlanta.
This isn’t a criticism. When Budenholzer signed this contract, the Hawks were rather different. They were trying to win then. (That they’re not now isn’t a criticism, either.) He has since suffered a demotion and a change of agenda. Were I he, I’d have been looking to leave, too.
Some suggest Budenholzer is irreplaceable. He’s not. No NBA coach is. The Celtics survived after Doc Rivers left. They also did OK after Red Auerbach stopped coaching. The NBA is about the players. When Budenholzer had good ones, the Hawks won 60 games. When he didn’t, they lost 58. The Hawks can find another decent coach, but let’s be honest: This rebuild isn’t going to be done in a year, which means they could hire Mike Krzyzewski and they wouldn’t get past LeBron. (Assuming he stays in the East, which he might not.)
The Hawks’ press release was terse – three sentences in all – but it’s clear they wanted some clarity going forward, which couldn’t have happened had Budenholzer’s job-shopping tour continued much longer. The guess is that he’ll get a job, maybe even the Knicks’ job, and very soon. A presumptive employer would feel much better about hiring him if it didn’t have to fork over a draft pick in return, which I assume this “parting of ways” renders moot. (Could be wrong, though. I’m not a contract lawyer. Though I was accepted to law school.)
I’m also not much of a seer, as we all know, but I did see this one coming a year ago. No coach wants to be saddled with a team that has no chance of winning, especially if that coach has already proved his bona fides. No organization wants to employ a coach who’d rather be elsewhere. This parting really is best for both parties. It needed to happen. Now it has.
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