5 Head coaches who could replace Billy Donovan if Bulls fire him
By Tyler Watts
2. Mike Budenholzer
The Bucks fired Budenholzer after a shocking and disappointing first-round playoff exit in 2023. Milwaukee had the best record in the NBA last season and three times in Bud’s five years as head coach. They won a championship in 2021 and were unquestionably one of the best teams in the NBA over the last five years.
Budenholzer spent five years as the Hawks head coach before arriving in Milwaukee. Atlanta made the playoffs four times and reached the conference finals in 2015. Bud has won 60.4 percent of his regular season in a decade of head coaching.
The 54-year-old was a long-time Spurs assistant before getting his shot in the lead chair. He learned a ton from Gregg Popovich over their 17 years together. Budenholzer had his critics in Milwaukee and rightfully so. Things were not perfect, but the Bucks won 69.3 percent of their regular season games and 60.0 percent in the playoffs over his five years in charge.
Mike Budenholzer is a championship coach who has proven he can get the most out of his team. The Chicago Bulls have talent but need to turn it into more wins if they want to make the playoffs in 2024. If they move on from Billy Donovan, coach Bud should be near the top of the wish list.