Sources: Mike Budenholzer, Hawks agree to part ways
The Atlanta Hawks and coach Mike Budenholzer have mutually agreed to part ways, Budenholzer told ESPN.
Budenholzer, the 2015-16 NBA coach of the year, and the organization finalized terms of a split on Wednesday night.
"I am grateful for the five years that I spent as coach of the Atlanta Hawks, and will always cherish the incredible contributions, commitment and accomplishments of the players that I was fortunate enough to work with here," Budenholzer told ESPN on Wednesday night. "From ownership to management, support staff to the community, I'll look back with great pride on what we were able to achieve together with the Hawks."
Budenholzer had two years and $14-million plus left on his contract, with the Hawks headed into a full rebuilding process.
Atlanta owner Tony Ressler and general manager Travis Schlenk met Budenholzer on Tuesday night in Atlanta and ultimately decided that a separation was the best course for everyone, league sources said.
The Hawks gave Budenholzer permission to speak with the Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks for their coaching openings last week. Budenzholzer interviewed with the Knicks on Sunday and remains a candidate for the job, league sources said. He pulled out of contention for the Suns job after several conversations with ownership and management.
Considered one of the NBA's best tacticians. Budenholzer had also been the Hawks' president of basketball operations -- until surrendering front office control with the arrival of Schlenk in the spring of 2017.
Budenholzer was the NBA's 2015-16 Coach of the Year, after a 60-victory regular season and a trip to the Eastern Conference finals. The Hawks reached the playoffs in four of his first five season. Atlanta dropped to 24-58 this season, with the organization's mandate to shed salary, gather draft picks and future assets.
Budenholzer spent 17 years as an assistant under San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich before his hiring in Atlanta in 2013. He won four NBA titles as a member of Spurs' staff.
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