On Friday, the Los Angeles Lakers officially parted ways with head coach Darvin Ham, signaling the start of an “extensive” coaching search.
While Ty Lue and JJ Redick were already on the radar as potential candidates prior to Ham’s departure, two additional names have surfaced.
According to a report by Jovan Buha and Shams Charania at The Athletic, former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer and former Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson have been added to the shortlist.
Budenholzer, who guided the Milwaukee Bucks to an NBA championship in 2021, was relieved of his duties two seasons later after failing to replicate that success. During his tenure with the Bucks spanning five seasons, Budenholzer accumulated a record of 271-120 (.693) and secured five consecutive Central Division titles. Despite this, his playoff track record was mixed, with only two appearances in the conference finals and three early exits, leading to his dismissal following a first-round playoff exit in 2023.
Prior to his stint in Milwaukee, Budenholzer served as head coach of the Atlanta Hawks for five seasons, where he achieved a record of 213-197 (.520) and led the team to the playoffs in four out of five seasons. With a championship under his belt and nine postseason appearances out of ten seasons as a head coach, Budenholzer brings a wealth of experience. However, his decision-making in the playoffs has been a point of contention.
On the other hand, Atkinson has been an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors for the past three seasons, following his tenure as an assistant with the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2020-21 season. His sole head coaching experience came with the Brooklyn Nets from 2016 to 2020, during which the team struggled with a depleted roster.
The Nets posted a record of 118-190 (.383) under Atkinson’s leadership. Although they made a postseason appearance in 2019 with a 42-40 record, they were eliminated in the opening round by the Philadelphia 76ers in five games. Atkinson resigned from his position late in the 2019-20 season. Notably, Atkinson had accepted a deal to become head coach of the Charlotte Hornets in 2022 after contributing to the Warriors’ NBA title victory, but ultimately reversed his decision and returned to the Warriors.
With LeBron James nearing the twilight of his career, the Lakers’ coaching search holds significant weight. Securing the right hire could be pivotal in providing James with a final opportunity to contend for a championship.