Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer spent two weeks looking for another job. Eventually, general manager Travis Schlenk said he and Budenholzer decided that he won’t keep his current position.
Schlenk said it was a mutual decision to end Budenholzer’s five-year tenure as Hawks coach, a move that came on Wednesday night. The move came after Budenholzer’s interest in other jobs became public soon after the end of the regular season, a clear indication that remaining with the Hawks wasn’t his preference.
Schlenk said the final decision for Budenholzer and the Hawks to sever ties came after several discussions between coach and GM.
“We kind of came to the conclusion that it was time for us to part ways,” Schlenk said Thursday. “This was a mutual decision between Bud and myself. Now, I think the most important thing is to look to the future and to begin the job immediately of trying to find the new coach of the Atlanta Hawks.”
Budenholzer talked to Suns officials about their vacant position last week before later withdrawing from consideration. Budenholzer interviewed with the Knicks last weekend and reportedly is a leading candidate for that job.
“I have a tremendous appreciation for my five years in Atlanta with the Hawks organization,” Budenholzer told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I deeply value the players that I have been fortunate enough to coach and the coaches and front office that I have worked with and their relentless efforts towards building a successful team. I wish Tony (Ressler) and the entire ownership group, Travis and the fans of Atlanta nothing but success moving forward.”
Budenholzer has two years left on his contract at about $14 million, but Schlenk said he is free to pursue other jobs with no restrictions. The Hawks initially told teams interested in hiring Budenholzer that they would expect compensation for letting him out of his contract but now they will receive nothing in return if he takes another job.
A person with knowledge of the agreement between Budenholzer and the Hawks said the salary in his Hawks contract will be offset by the amount he earns in his next job.
The Hawks ultimately concluded that Budenholzer’s retention as coach wasn’t feasible after he sought other jobs, according to a person with knowledge of the decision. The person said the Hawks also wanted to end the difficult circumstance of being prevented from beginning the search for Budenholzer’s replacement because of his uncertain status, while multiple news stories were generated by his interest in leaving the Hawks.
The Hawks (24-58) finished last in the Eastern Conference this season while fielding a young team. They are likely to be even younger next season after they select as many as four players in the NBA draft this June.
Schlenk said he doesn’t think the current state of the Hawks will be a deterrent in finding a good coach because rebuilds aren’t uncommon in the NBA. He said an important consideration for the new coach would be connecting with and developing the team’s young players as the Hawks continue to rebuild.
“Our plan is still the same,” Schlenk said. “We are going to continue to develop our young players. We are going to continue to build through the draft. We are going to continue to gather assets and maintain our financial flexibility.”
That long-term plan is one reason the pairing of Schlenk and Budenholzer was potentially awkward from the start.
Schlenk took over as the team’s top basketball executive last May, soon after Budenholzer relinquished that role. Hawks owner Tony Ressler charged Schlenk with stripping the roster and rebuilding it rather than fortifying it with high-priced veterans.
Budenholzer generally took the latter route as president of basketball operations. But this season Schlenk gave Budenholzer a roster stripped of talent as he focuses on the long-term plan.
That meant Budenholzer’s final Hawks team usually was at a talent and experience deficit against opponents. The Hawks were competitive this season despite some key injuries and earned a few victories against playoff-bound teams. But they finished with the second-worst record since the franchise moved to Atlanta before the 1968-69 season.
Before this season and throughout it, Budenholzer said he was on board with the rebuilding process.
“Coach Bud didn’t quit at all on this group and certainly our players didn’t quit on him,” Schlenk said.
Budenholzer, 48, posted a 213-197 record over five seasons as Hawks coach. The Hawks hired Budenholzer for his first head coaching position after he was an assistant with the Spurs for 17 seasons.
Budenholzer was voted the NBA’s coach of the year for the 2014-15 season, when the Hawks posted a franchise-record 60 victories. The Hawks concluded that season with their first Eastern Conference finals appearance since the franchise moved to Atlanta.
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