Basketball InsidersKyler: Could Mike Budenholzer Land On Hot Seat?
Let's start by pointing out the obvious—Mike Budenholzer is a heck of a basketball coach. However, with the Hawks moving in a very different direction, it’s hard to imagine that Budenholzer is going to be the guy to skipper the rebuilding of the team.
Coaching sources said Budenholzer was entering the dreaded lame duck time in a coaches’ contract, making him more likely to be replaced than retained. This is more likely to be true if the Hawks are headed in a new direction.
For the Hawks, rebuilding around a great coach like Budenholzer wouldn’t be a bad decision, the problem for the Hawks is it seems they want to go in a new direction, which is hard to do with the same guy that set the last direction.
kg01 wrote: I'm cool with you being anti-Budz but only if you can present a better alternative.
Fair point. So what young coaching replacements might be in line to replace Budenholzer?
Here are a couple of replacement options:
Chris Finch, New Orleans assistant coach
Finch has an edge, both to his personality and his conviction that an offensive basketball team needs to be constantly pressuring the defense. There's some Mike D'Antoni in him, an undying belief that conventional wisdom should be challenged and new ideas pursued at all costs.
Asked for features they look for in candidates, NBA executives name diversity of experience more frequently with each passing year. Finch coached for a decade in Europe, where the Rockets found him while scanning the globe for undervalued sideline talent. In 2009, they installed him in Rio Grande Valley of the D-League, where he led the Vipers to the title his first season and another finals appearance in his second. He then joined the staff in Houston, where he [was] a primary architect of the speedy, bombs-or-bunnies offense.
Link to Travis: He currently is an assistant under Former GSW assistant coach Alvin Gentry.
Jarron Collins, Golden State Warriors assistant coach
Collins would give a team all the attributes of a grinder, but with 10 years of playing experience as a consummate locker room guy who has demonstrated as an assistant coach an aptitude for connecting with players.
Those in the know say that Collins' was one of the big brains behind the Warriors' early-season run during Steve Kerr's absence.
Some of those who have worked with Collins regard him as one of the quickest studies they've seen come through the league in recent years. They describe a young coach with a knack for schemes and coverages, but who has a quiet intensity beneath his steady demeanor. He might not outwardly convey competitiveness, but a loss to a fellow member of the coaching staff in a game of one-on-one will leave him stewing for hours.
Link to Travis: Assistant in GS during the same period.
Nate Tibbetts, Portland Trail Blazers assistant coach
Tibbetts is an understated but vital presence in Portland. The Blazers' young backcourt praises him for his ability to communicate and provide players with cheat codes -- nuanced observations such as opposing players' tendencies or a play call from the other bench. They also appreciate that he'll gladly hop in a taxi with them at 3:30 p.m. if they want to get in an early pregame workout at the arena. Tibbetts simply loves games, loves the preparation that goes into them and loves being in the gym with players.
Organizations increasingly value head coaching experience at the D-League level, and Tibbets cut his teeth for four seasons at the helm of Sioux Falls in his native South Dakota, then Tulsa for the Thunder organization, which courted him this past offseason to join Billy Donovan's staff. Tibbetts, 38, received an interview in Charlotte for the vacancy that ultimately went to Steve Clifford.
Though he's not a big personality, per se, Tibbetts' combo of player development chops, time as a head coach, positive energy and communications skills is starting to reach front offices around the league. With a slew of openings this spring and summer, Tibbets is likely to visit some executive suites after the Blazers' season ends.
