HEAT CHAMBER: You're Fired: Bucks fire coach Mike Budenholzer

Milwaukee Bucks fired coach Mike Budenholzer

Donald Trump's voice:

The Milwaukee Bucks, what a disaster! Their coach, Mike Budenholzer, total incompetent. Very poor coaching, very sad. The Bucks were supposed to go all the way this year, what a mess. This Budenholzer guy, I barely knew him, he's doing a terrible job. The team is underachieving bigly.

Folks, it's time to fire this coach and get somebody great, somebody with winning experience, somebody that really knows how to win. This Budenholzer coach, total loser, he's fired! The Bucks need a coach that will make them win, win, win again. They're going to win so much they may even get tired of winning. This is the only way the Bucks will ever make it out of the second round! Sad!

The fans demand a coach that will bring the Bucks a championship, and this coach just isn't cutting it. He's fired, fired, fired! The Bucks will have a new coach by Monday, believe me. A coach with really good genes, the best genes. This team and these fans deserve so much more than this failed coach. He's gone, gone, gone! The Bucks will be winning champions again, finally!

The Milwaukee Bucks have fired coach Mike Budenholzer after the East's top seed suffered a first-round playoff loss to the Miami Heat.

The Bucks went 271-120 (.693) during the regular season with Budenholzer at the helm, the best record in the league across that span. However, despite numerous opportunities to advance to the NBA Finals, they failed to do so under his leadership.

After winning their first championship in 50 years during the 2021 season, Budenholzer signed a three-year extension but was ultimately let go following a disappointing first-round exit this year. "The decision to make this change was very difficult," Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in a statement, acknowledging Budenholzer's contributions while asserting the need to "refocus and reenergize our efforts."

Budenholzer had two years left on his deal worth approximately $16 million, according to reports. He is just the fourth coach in 50 seasons to lead his No. 1 seed team out of the playoffs, joining Mike Brown, Phil Jackson and Pat Riley.

During Budenholzer's tenure, Milwaukee became a perennial contender but struggled against Miami, losing twice in five games - including this year's series - when heavily favored. His stars criticized a lack of adjustments to stop Jimmy Butler, who averaged nearly 38 points, and untimely timeouts. Though he won a title and had a historic regular season record, ultimately the unfulfilled potential and unconvincing exits led to his dismissal.

The Bucks now seek a successor to maximize their championship window with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. Potential replacements include Nick Nurse, recently fired by Toronto after failing to make the playoffs, and internal candidates like Charles Lee, now interviewing elsewhere. Under new leadership, Milwaukee aims to fulfill the promise that eluded them under Budenholzer and reach their full potential.

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