It’s protected to say the Milwaukee Bucks’ crucial 2023 offseason begins on the prime with a conundrum at head coach: Ought to they maintain or fireplace Mike Budenholzer? In an offseason full of adverse choices, that’s the first one they have to make.

Beneath Budenholzer, the Bucks have reworked from an annual first-round playoff exit to a perennial championship contender. It occurred in a single day, as they elevated their win whole by 16 video games in his first 12 months in 2018-19.

Paradoxically, that leap to fame additionally coincided with the questions on whether or not he was the person to guide the Bucks to a championship. They have been up 2-0 over the Toronto Raptors within the Japanese Convention Finals and did not win a recreation the remainder of the collection.

It’s truthful to say Milwaukee has suffered loads of soul-crushing defeats with Budenholzer on the helm. Most of them resulting in reputable questions on his skill to design gameplans within the postseason and make right changes on the fly. Along with the heartbreak towards Toronto, Milwaukee has been upset within the second spherical of the 2020 postseason towards the Miami Warmth and once more on this 12 months’s first spherical. In addition they fell to the Boston Celtics within the semi-finals of the 2022 playoffs.

Beneath his tenure, the Bucks have gained extra regular-season video games (271) and extra playoff video games (38) than another group within the final 5 years. This, in fact, features a championship in 2021.

Nonetheless, after one other untimely postseason exit that included his worst-coached collection, many are asking whether or not he’ll return as the top coach subsequent season. Let’s dive into three choices the Bucks have.

Maintain Mike Budenholzer

That is as troublesome of a call as they arrive. The Bucks may very well be trying to transfer on from a coach who made them a championship contender to a coach who could make them a championship contender.

In response to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Milwaukee nonetheless owes him $16 million over the ultimate two years of his deal. They’re already deep into the posh tax and consuming much more cash on the teaching workers won’t be doable.

There’s additionally the human side. Certainly one of Budenholzer’s brothers died in a automobile crash earlier than Sport 4, possible impacting him in myriad methods for the ultimate two video games of the collection. As a lot because the NBA is a enterprise, it will be merciless to finish a relationship with a person who has been nothing however superb throughout his tenure.

The Bucks’ first choice is to maintain Budenholzer and make inner adjustments to his teaching workers. It’s clear he wants some recent blood inserted into an offense that stalled out towards the Warmth. He’s proven the unselfishness to hearken to gamers and coaches earlier than.

Hearth Budenholzer, Promote Charles Lee

If Milwaukee decides to fireplace Budenholzer, they’ll most likely look lengthy and laborious at assistant Charles Lee. A number of outstanding Bucks’ assistant coaches have just lately been elevated to move teaching gigs, together with Taylor Jenkins to the Memphis Grizzlies and Darvin Ham to the Los Angeles Lakers. Charles Lee is subsequent in line.

Lee has been interviewing for head teaching gigs courting again to final 12 months and is a finalist for the Detroit Pistons’ spot. It’s a matter of when, not if.

The Bucks might get forward of the pattern and promote from inside. Being a first-time head coach, Lee would convey a selected studying curve to the place the franchise would possibly wish to keep away from coping with. Nonetheless, that didn’t cease the Lakers from hiring Ham.

Hearth Budenholzer, Rent New Head Coach

If the Bucks need recent blood, they may fireplace Budenholzer and rent an exterior candidate. In the event that they take this method, they have to transfer shortly, as most of the prime candidates are already off the board.

Two of the notable, confirmed names are Kenny Atkinson and Nick Nurse. Others who’ve reportedly interviewed for various jobs embody Lee, Adrian Griffin and Chris Quinn. In different phrases, it’s slim pickings.

The timing of the Bucks’ postseason exit and the actual fact they haven’t made a transfer virtually per week later may very well be indicators they’re leaning towards holding Budenholzer.