NBA Rumors: Top 4 Coaching Candidates To Replace Mike Budenholzer

Now that the news has dropped on a new head coaching vacancy in Milwaukee, the names—or, more accurately, name—of who could replace Mike Budenholzer are starting to be floated.

There are some great coaching resumés out there, no shortage of top candidates.

Every championship-winning coach since 2015 except for Steve Kerr has now been fired.

Ty Lue, Nick Nurse, Frank Vogel and Mike Budenholzer all out. Three of them available to be hired.
— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) May 4, 2023

And not surprisingly, one name has been floated to the top. Here are four coaches who could be next in line in Milwaukee.

Nick Nurse

Keep a very close eye on Nick Nurse for the Milwaukee Bucks head coaching position.
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) May 4, 2023

Ok, let's be honest, there is no more perfect candidate for the Bucks' job than former Toronto Raptors head coach (and 2020 NBA Coach of the Year) Nick Nurse.

A couple of years back, it was rumored that the Raptors were a prime suitor to woo Giannis Antetokounmpo to Toronto. Now, the tables have turned, and Nurse could wind up coaching the Greek Freak after all, but in Milwaukee.

Nurse, of course, has his own championship pedigree, having led the Raptors to the title in 2019, while knocking out Giannis and the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Final along the way. It makes all the sense in the world for the two to be united at last.

Frank Vogel

If the Bucks want to stick to the championship-pedigree model, then Vogel is another fine choice. He led the Los Angeles Lakers to the NBA title in 2020.

Vogel has also been a head coach for the Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic—11 years in total as a bench boss—with an overall coaching mark of 431-389 for a .526 winning percentage.

Charles Lee

Budenholzer's assistant for the past decade, both in Atlanta and Milwaukee, he could be an ideal replacement, and make for a seamless transition for the Bucks. Lee has been a finalist for several head coaching jobs over recent years, and he's even currently being strongly considered by the Detroit Pistons.

Kenny Atkinson

Always at the top of any list of potential new head coaching hires, Atkinson has spent the past two seasons as an assistant with the Golden State Warriors. He was the head man with the Brooklyn Nets for four years, from 2016-2020.

The 55-year-old Atkinson was being wooed by the Charlotte Hornets last offseason, but when they wouldn't allow him to hire his own assistants, he passed on the opportunity. Might be the best decision he's made, if this Bucks opportunity comes his way.

But as Giannis would say, whichever way the Bucks go, there is no failure.