Mike Budenholzer Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Danny Ferry Takes Indefinite Leave From Hawks

September 12th, 2014 at 3:36pm CST by Chuck Myron

3:36pm: Ferry apologized to Deng as part of a statement the Hawks sent out via another press release, one in which he also addressed his leave of absence.

“My focus moving forward is to tirelessly work to rebuild trust with this community and with our fans,” Ferry said in part. “I realize that my words may ring hollow now and my future actions must speak for me. I will maximize my time during this leave to meet with community leaders and further educate myself and others on the extremely sensitive issues surrounding race, diversity, and inclusion. I will find a way to make a positive difference in this area, and further learn from the sensitivity training that I will go through.”

3:04pm: Danny Ferry is taking an indefinite leave of absence from his job as Hawks GM, the team announced via press release. Coach Mike Budenholzer will assume control of the basketball operations while Ferry is away, according to the team’s statement, which CEO Steve Koonin authored.

“This has been an incredibly difficult time for him and his family and it is my hope that this time away from the Hawks organization allows him the privacy he needs to listen to the community, to learn about his mistakes, and to begin the long process of personal healing,” Koonin said in part. “As a human being, manager and friend, I wish him well as he undergoes this process.”

Koonin also hints at the turmoil within the team’s ownership group, which has been wracked with infighting since purchasing the team nine years ago. Co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. has sought Ferry’s ouster and has butted heads with controlling owner Bruce Levenson, who’s selling his stake.

“While the issues related to race are deeply troubling, at the heart of this dispute is an unfortunate disagreement amongst owners,” Koonin said. “That said, we have taken several steps to address what we can do as an organization to be better and stronger, including working with a diversity consultant to examine us and to train us to ensure something like this never happens again, we are committed to hiring a Chief Diversity Officer, and we have and will continue to meet with community leaders in an ongoing way to ensure our values reflect the community in which we play and work. The process of selling the team, which is to remain in Atlanta, is already underway.”

Budenholzer had been preparing to go into just his second season as an NBA head coach after having spent the previous 17 years as an assistant coach for the Spurs. He’s never held a job other than coach in the NBA, save for a two-season stint as video coordinator for the Spurs before he moved to the team’s bench. Atlanta has deals with 15 players, but the team will likely make multiple additions within the next few weeks for training camp.

Koonin has publicly backed Ferry, who received censure from the Hawks for having repeated racially charged statements about free agent target Luol Deng, who’s now with the Heat. Still, Koonin has stood by his decision not to force Ferry out, and Ferry gave no indication he planned to resign when he expressed regret earlier this week about repeating the statements. The NBA has maintained that it doesn’t intend to punish Ferry, and commissioner Adam Silver has said he doesn’t believe what Ferry did should prompt the Hawks to terminate him.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Poll: Experienced Coach Or First-Timer?

April 11th, 2014 at 8:01pm CST by Eddie Scarito

As we approach the end of the NBA regular season, it’s the time of year when the annual coaching carousel begins to spin and a slew of faces will end up in brand new places. Heading into the 2013/14 season there were a total of 13 coaching changes, which if you’re keeping score at home, is the most ever in a single offseason.

We won’t know for sure just how many teams will be making a change on their bench until the playoffs are over. Normally you would think a playoff spot would ensure job security, but Lionel Hollins, Vinny Del Negro, and Larry Drew all weren’t retained after reaching the playoffs last year. So the exact number of vacancies are up in the air, but we know there will be some.

If your team is making a head coaching change, which would you prefer in your new hire? Do you want a veteran coach with years of experience to lead your team? One who has a proven track record, but also could be carrying baggage and bad habits picked up throughout the years. Or, would you prefer the energy and new ideas a first-time coach can provide? A new coach has more to prove, and might be more in touch with the pulse and culture of his players, but has no experience to rely on, and no track record to predict future performance.

Let’s look at how this year’s crop of new coaches fared as an example. First up, the ones with prior experience:

Doc Rivers (Clippers): The team is 55-24, first in the Pacific Division, and the third seed in the playoffs. Last year’s team went 56-26 under Vinny Del Negro, before Del Negro wasn’t retained and the team traded for Rivers.
Maurice Cheeks (Pistons): He was fired 50 games into the year with a record of 20-29. Detroit was 29-53 in 2012/13 under Lawrence Frank. After the team signed Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings in the off season, owner Tom Gores expected a much better record and for the team to make the playoffs.
Mike Brown (Cavaliers): The team sits at 32-47, which is good for tenth in the eastern conference. Last year under Byron Scott the team had a record of 24-58 and ended up with the first overall selection in the draft.
Larry Drew (Bucks): The Bucks sit at 14-64. which is good for the worst record in the league. In 2012/13 under Scott Skiles and Jim Boylan the team went 38-44.

Now for how the first-time coaches performed:

Jason Kidd (Nets): The Nets are at 43-35, which is good for the fifth overall playoff seed. Kidd replaced interim coach P.J. Carlesimo, whose team finished 2012/13 with a record of 49-33.
Brad Stevens (Celtics): Stevens, taking over for Doc Rivers, has gone 23-55, but has the re-building team heading in a positive direction. Last year’s team went 41-40.
Mike Budenholzer (Hawks): The Hawks have gone 35-43 and currently hold the final playoff spot in the east. Last year’s Larry Drew led squad went 44-38.
Steve Clifford (Bobcats): Clifford has led the Bobcats to a 40-38 record and the sixth seed in the east. Under Mike Dunlap the team went 21-61 during last year’s campaign.
Brian Shaw (Nuggets): The Nuggets have been hampered by injuries all season, and sit at 35-44. Shaw replaced coach of the year winner George Karl, who led the team to a record of 57-25.
David Joerger (Grizzlies): Joerger replaced Lionel Hollins and has guided the team to a record of 46-32, and has the team is one game out of the final playoff spot. Last year the team went 56-26.
Brett Brown (Sixers): Under Brown the Sixers have the second worst record in the league at 17-61, including a record-tying 26 game losing streak. Last season under Doug Collins, the team went 34-48.
Jeff Hornacek (Suns): The Suns are one of the most improved teams in the league with a record of 47-31, and hold the seventh seed in the western conference. Last year under Lindsey Hunter and Alvin Gentry the team went 25-57.
Mike Malone (Kings): Under Malone the Kings have gone 27-52. During the 2012/13 season under Keith Smart the team ended up 28-54.

This means that in their first seasons with their new teams, experienced coaches went 121-164 (.424), and the first-timers went 313-391 (.444). There are many different factors outside a coach’s control that contribute to the team’s final record, but the nature of the NBA is that the coach is the first one to take the heat.

Now it’s time to vote. If your team makes a coaching change this off season, do you want an experienced person hired, or would you prefer the team brings in a brand new face? Cast your vote below and feel free to give your thoughts in the comments section below.

Southeast Rumors: Porter, Williams, Wizards

September 28th, 2013 at 7:24pm CST by Spencer Lund

The No. 2 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Otto Porter, suffered a right hip flexor injury, reports the Associated Press, and was limited in practice. Fortunately for Wizards fans, Nene Hilario and John Wall are healthy, but as Michael Lee of the Washington Post points out on Twitter, Trevor Booker was also limited in practice with a sore right knee.

Here's more on the Wizards and Hawks…

As J. Michael of CSN Washington summarizes, the Wizards have been suffering from the injury bug as training camps open around the league. Emeka Okafor (herniated disk) and Chris Singleton (left foot/toe surgery) are already out and now Booker and Porter are limited.
Wall added to Lee's piece that after watching footage from the 2012/13 season, he's confident of the team's success this coming year. "We know what we're capable of as a team," Wall told him. "We just got to play like we did last year, be a great defensive team, be a faster team, get out in the open court," said Wall.
On the injury front, the Hawks scoring guard (Lou) Louis Williams has no timetable on a return from the ACL tear he suffered last season, reports Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution [subscription only].
Vivlamore adds that former Hawk Damien Wilkins is liable to make the team if Williams isn't able to go right away. After suffering the torn ACL in his right knee in January, the recovery period is 9-12 months and Williams has yet to participate in any scrimmaging with the team before training camp opens.
Vivlamore goes on to include that a new coach, Mike Budenholzer, means there will be a new system in place for even the veteran Hawks to learn in this month's training camp.
Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes that Kemba Walker, after two years of losing in Charlotte, led a "jump-start" on the Bobcats' training camp.

Odds & Ends: Roster Spots, Hunt, Mavericks

August 29th, 2013 at 11:15pm CST by Ryan Raroque

ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter) points out that the Lakers, Bulls, and 76ers are the three teams that still need to sign players in order to reach the league minimum of 13 players by opening night, although it's worth noting that L.A. is still yet to sign second round pick Ryan Kelly and Philadelphia is in the same boat with Nerlens Noel and Michael Carter-Williams. Also, as we pointed out a few days ago, Dexter Pittman accepted a training camp invite with Chicago and could fill that 13th roster spot if they end up offering him a guaranteed contract.

Here are more of tonight's news and notes from around the league:

Jeff Haubner of ESPN.com offers a two part preview of the upcoming FIBA Americas tournament.
Charles F. Gardner of The Journal Sentinel notes that the Bucks/Suns deal keeps Milwaukee about $1.9MM under the salary cap and saves Phoenix around $5.6MM in cap space. Gardner also has more comments from Caron Butler regarding his happiness with the trade.
Former 76ers star Charles Barkley isn't happy with the way his former team handled their assistant coaching situation, saying that those who were released upon the Brett Brown hiring had worked for the team the entire summer and therefore didn't have the opportunity to look for another job (Michael Kaskey-Blomain of The Philadelphia Inquirer).
Keith Schlosser of RidiculousUpside.com takes a look at Kyle Hunt, who while eligible for the D-League draft in the fall is also looking to earn an NBA training camp invite.
Tim Cowlishaw of SportsDayDFW suggests Mavericks fans should be happy with 45 wins and a 7th seed in the Western Conference next season.
Ben Couch of BrooklynNets.com provides a brief breakdown of the Nets' depth at the center position, profiling Brook Lopez, Andray Blatche, and Mason Plumlee.
Former Knick and now a member of the Canadian men's national basketball team, Andy Rautins tells Steve Buffery of the Toronto Sun about how prepared he and his teammates feel heading into the FIBA Americas tournament.
NBA.com posted an article from Atlanta-based freelance writer Jon Cooper about Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer. Though he stressed the importance of forming good relationships with each player up to the 15th man, Budenholzer specifically mentioned Al Horford and Jeff Teague as two players that he's very much looking forward to working with.
Suns.com passes along an article from the archives which delves into the mind of the late former Suns coach Cotton Fitzsimmons.

Hawks Match Bucks’ Offer Sheet For Teague

July 13th, 2013 at 8:11pm CST by Spencer Lund

8:11pm: The Hawks' President of Basketball Operations and GM Danny Ferry said in a press release tonight: "We are happy to bring Jeff back to our team. He has improved each year of his career and continues to get better." Ferry continues, "At 25, he’s already been a key contributor on a playoff team and we look forward to seeing him develop into even more of a leader on our team.”

Hawks' head coach Mike Budenholzer also added his thoughts on retaining the point guard: "I am very excited to have the opportunity to coach Jeff. He has a high level of talent. Keeping him with our group allows us to continue to build and improve going forward."

5:50pm: A source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that the Hawks' intention all along was to keep Teague, not sign-and-trade him to the Bucks (Twitter).

Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com tweets that a Bucks source tells him the Hawks have officially matched the Bucks' offer for Teague.

As Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer points out, via Twitter, Teague didn't want the Hawks to match the offer and was hoping to be reunited with his coach from the Hawks last season, Larry Drew.

The Racine Journal Times' Gery Woelfel tweets that it'll be interesting to see whether the Bucks still pull of the Brandon Jennings sign-and-trade now that Teague is going back to Atlanta.

5:34pm: According to the Atlanta Journal-Constituation's Chris Vivlamore (via Twitter), the Hawks will match the Bucks' four-year $32MM offer sheet for Jeff Teague.

Only a little earlier today, Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times had heard continued chatter the Hawks were not likely to match the Bucks' offer sheet and would let Teague, a restricted free agent, go to Milwaukee. But that appears to have been a mask for their true intentions to match the offer.

Teague had already expressed his desire to Hawks general manager Danny Ferry that he'd like to continue his career elsewhere, which Vivlamore mentions in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution update. Teague would have been reunited with his coach from the Hawks last season, Larry Drew, if the Hawks hadn't matched the offer.

Odds & Ends: Billups, Cavs, Felton

June 22nd, 2013 at 11:00pm CST by Spencer Lund

Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida spoke with the Clippers' Chauncey Billups, who said the Pistons might have won consecutive titles after their surprise victory over the Lakers in 2004, if they had drafted more wisely in the acclaimed 2003 draft, in which they picked second.

Pistons general manager Joe Dumars famously drafted Darko Milicic with their second pick (LeBron James was number one, obviously), and bypassed future stars Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Milicic was a bust, and doesn't want to return to the NBA after leaving the Celtics in November of last year.

Despite pushing the Spurs to a game 7 in 2005, and making six consecutive Eastern Conference Finals dating from 2002 to 2008, those early- and mid-2000s Pistons teams never again won the title. Said Billups (Sulia link):

“If he had drafted either Melo or Bosh, I think maybe that whole team would still be together. We probably would have more championships down the road. But this is the NBA and things happen. But, of course, I always think about that.’’

Dumars took a risk drafting the Serbian Milicic that year, and that's what every general manager is fretting about right now as we come up on the last four days before the 2013 draft. Here's what else is happening around the league before Thursday's action-packed night.

While speaking with Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com, Raymond Felton said this Knicks team "can win a championship."
The Nets' new coach Jason Kidd is said to be close to offering Pistons assistant Roy Rogers a place on his new staff in Brooklyn, reports Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter). Discussions with Lawrence Frank continue.
The former fourth pick out of Iowa State in the 2000 draft, Marcus Fizer, is attempting a comeback, writes Rusty Simmons in the San Francisco Chronicle.
St. Joseph's shot-blocker C.J. Aiken won't work out for the Sixers on Monday, but will instead work out with the Pistons for the second time that day, reveals Tom Moore of Phillyburbs.com via Aiken's agent Stephen Pina. Aiken isn't expected to be drafted.
Rumors of trade talks between the Mavs and Cavs involving Shawn Marion may be exaggerated, writes Jodie Valade at the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Also at the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Terry Pluto writes that if the Cavs select a big man with the top pick in Thursday's draft, it will be Alex Len, and Mary Schmitt Boyer explains why Cavs general manager Chris Grant likes to keep people guessing, but may go in a more traditional direction this year.
Jeff Schultz at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says the pain that ex-Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer is feeling after San Antonio lost the NBA Finals to the Heat on Thursday will have to wait as he prepares for his first draft as the Hawks' head coach.
The Bucks are again stuck with a mid-tier pick in this year's draft, selecting 15th, after a first round playoff exit to the eventual champion Heat. They had the same pick in 2010, when they snagged shot-blocking sensation Larry Sanders, writes Charles F. Gardner Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Gardner spoke with the Bucks' general manager John Hammond about the team's now-familiar draft territory.
The Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell published a trifecta of pieces on the Bobcats' draft and free agency future today. On the draft, Bonnell writes that the lottery could offer the Bobcats a huge payoff, but the Bobcats also have the money to add a free agent — they just have to find the right one.
Bonnell also explains how the Bobcats have 16 months to reverse the downward trajectory of their franchise before reforming as the Hornets once again.
Observer columnist Tom Sorenson is a bit more optimistic about the team's future, writing that with the return of the Hornets in the 2014/15 season, the Hornets/Bobcats will make the postseason.

Odds & Ends: Team USA, Wolves, Rivers, Bulls

June 10th, 2013 at 12:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Last month, we heard that Mike D'Antoni and Nate McMillan wouldn't be returning to Team USA for the 2016 Olympics as assistant coaches. Today, Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press reveals (via Twitter) that Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau and Pelicans coach Monty Williams will be the new additions to Mike Krzyzewski's staff. Here are a few more Monday odds and ends from around the NBA:

Timberwolves president Flip Saunders tells Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com that every indication points to Rick Adelman returning as the team's head coach next season. Saunders also addresses Nikola Pekovic's free agency ("We plan on signing him") and Andrei Kirilenko's player option ("We don't have a gut feel [what he'll decide]") within the piece.
Celtics head coach Doc Rivers has yet to officially state whether he'll return to Boston's bench next season, telling Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe that he'd address his future soon.
In his weekend notes column for the Boston Globe, Washburn speculated that the Bobcats could be interested in trying to trade for Chris Bosh this summer, but Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer doesn't see Bosh as a fit for Charlotte.
Asked about a potential Luol Deng trade, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld tweets that he has heard the Bulls don't intend to change their core significantly this summer. With Deng and others coming off the books in the summer of 2014, the roster figures to see more turnover a year from now.
CSKA Moscow assistant Quin Snyder has officially left the team to return stateside, the club announced today (English link via Sportando). Last week, ESPN.com's Marc Stein named Snyder as a potential under-the-radar candidate for the Nuggets' head coaching job, but I think it's probably more likely that Snyder ends up as an NBA assistant somewhere.
Last June, Mike Miller's injury problems had him contemplating the possibility of retirement, but he's certainly feeling better a year later. Miller tells Shams Charania of RealGM.com that he feels like he has four or five seasons left in him.
Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today attempts to determine why there have been so many head coaching changes in the NBA this offseason, while TNT's David Aldridge tackles the same topic in his own column at NBA.com. Aldridge also examines new Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer and asks Danny Granger about being the subject of frequent trade rumors.

Hawks Hire Mike Budenholzer

May 28th, 2013 at 3:26pm CST by Luke Adams

3:26pm: The Hawks have officially announced the hiring of Budenholzer in a press release.

"We are thrilled to have Mike as the next coach of the Atlanta Hawks. He has an incredible basketball acumen and has a keen awareness of the league and what it takes to be successful," Ferry said in a statement. "His experience and four championships over the last 17 years provide a tremendous foundation for his leadership of our team."

3:13pm: The Hawks have reached an agreement to hire Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer as their new head coach, reports Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution (via Twitter). Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports had previously reported that the two sides were engaged in "serious talks" about the position.

With the move, Atlanta becomes the fourth team to hire a new head coach this season, along with the Cavaliers, Suns, and Bobcats. The hiring of Budenholzer also assures that Larry Drew won't return as the team's coach next season — Drew had remained under contract, though he has been exploring other options and moving forward as if he won't receive an extension.

Budenholzer has been a member of the Spurs' organization since the 1994/95 season, acting as an assistant coach since '96/97 and crossing paths with Hawks GM Danny Ferry during Ferry's two separate stints in the Spurs' front office. Budenholzer has been Gregg Popovich's top assistant in San Antonio since the 2007/08 season.

Before the Hawks reached an agreement with Budenholzer, Stan Van Gundy was among the candidates linked to the team's coaching opening, but Van Gundy eventually decided not to coach in 2013/14. A pair of coaches who spent last season with CSKA Moscow, Ettore Messina and Quin Snyder, were also rumored to be considered by Atlanta.

Mike Budenholzer, Hawks In Serious Talks

May 28th, 2013 at 2:21pm CST by Luke Adams

The Hawks are engaged in "serious talks" with Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer about becoming Atlanta's new head coach, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). ESPN.com's Chris Broussard had reported last week that many league insiders viewed Budenholzer as the frontrunner for the Hawks' coaching opening.

While the Spurs remain active in the postseason, having swept the Grizzlies to earn a spot in the NBA Finals, they'll have nine days off before their next series gets underway. As such, the team is allowing its longtime assistant coach to negotiate with the Hawks during that period, assuming Budenholzer is Atlanta's choice for its head coach, writes TNT's David Aldridge.

Budenholzer, who worked with Atlanta GM Danny Ferry back when Ferry was a member of the Spurs' front office, also interviewed for the Pistons and 76ers for their coaching openings, as Aldridge notes. If he were to land the Hawks' job, Budenholzer would be replacing Larry Drew, who technically remains under contract in Atlanta, but is exploring other options — Drew will have a second interview the Bucks tomorrow.

Broussard On Coaching Searches, Wolves, Lottery

May 24th, 2013 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

We briefly touched on the latest Insider-only offering from ESPN.com's Chris Broussard last night, but let's take a more in-depth look at Brousard's newest tidbits today:

NBA executives are curious to see who the Pistons hire as a head coach, since it may indicate whether advisor Phil Jackson or GM Joe Dumars has more sway in Detroit. Dumars is believed to favor Nate McMillan or Maurice Cheeks, while Jackson's pick would likely be Brian Shaw.
Had Chris Hansen's purchase of the Kings gone through, Jackson would have run the team's front office in Seattle, and intended to hire Shaw as head coach, says Broussard.
The Nets have yet to approach any coaching candidates besides Jackson, who told the team he wasn't interested in coaching. Brooklyn is currently conducting "rigorous checks" on potential candidates, and is seeking someone tough and firm who is able to get the most out of the talent on the roster.
The Clippers are high on McMillan, according to Broussard.
Sources tell Broussard that Bobcats GM Rich Cho is interested in hiring Quin Snyder to replace Mike Dunlap.
"Many league insiders" believe Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer is the favorite to land the Hawks' job, says Broussard.
While Celtics GM Danny Ainge has privately told teams he won't grant them permission to speak to Doc Rivers, Broussard says if Rivers really wanted a change of scenery, Ainge would probably allow him to explore other options. There's no indication that's the case though.
Although Flip Saunders will run the Timberwolves' basketball operations, he's looking to hire a general manager, and is currently performing background checks on possible candidates. A hire likely won't happen until after the draft, according to Broussard.
Rival lottery teams aren't necessarily jealous that the Cavaliers landed the first overall pick. Said one GM: "I'd rather be two, three or four in this draft than one."
Another executive from a lottery team on the process: "We didn't want to win this year's lottery. Next year's the one to win. Then after that, you want to be out of the lottery."