Just weeks after leaving one of the worst franchises in the NBA, former Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer is the top candidate for arguably the two best most attractive openings in the league.
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According the ESPN, both the Raptors and Bucks have singled out Budenholzer, 48, as their top choice.
Budenholzer posted a 213-197 record in five seasons with Atlanta and made the playoffs in his first four. With a depleted roster, Atlanta finished last in the Eastern Conference with a 24-48 mark in 2017-18.
Mike Budenholzer has emerged as the focus of the Milwaukee and Toronto coaching searches, league sources tell ESPN. Raptors are opening conversations with Budenholzer and Bucks will re-engage with him early this week, sources said.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 14, 2018
The Raptors fired Dwayne Casey last Friday after he led Toronto to a franchise-record 59 wins the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. But, after topping the Wizards in six games in their opening series, the Raptors were swept by Cleveland.
Milwaukee fired Jason Kidd in January after a 23-22 start. The Bucks finished the season under interim coach Joe Prunty and made the playoffs as the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference.
If offered both jobs, Budenholzer will have a tough decision to make. Toronto, a team that’s won for several seasons, has two All-Stars on its roster in Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, while Milwaukee has a dynamic young roster led by Giannis Antetokounmpo.