Spurs Allow Budenholzer to Negotiate with Hawks (Edit: Bud Hired as Hawks' Coach)

[T Park]

Congrats. Lands ina good spot with a great player in Horford and solid one in Teague. Lots of cap space, two first found draft picks. Great opportunity.

[Libri]

Bud might take some people from the Spurs with him. He will want to surround himself with personnel that he's comfortable with. We'll see if this is the case.

[Holden_Caulfield]

lol udoka is gonna be the heir hahaha

[SA210]

Might be a good situation for the Spurs. Bud can get 2-3 years of HC experience and then come home when Pop retires.

Now that would be CIA

[timvp]

Damn, this sucks for the Spurs. Bud was a great lead assistant. When he took over for Pop, it was seamless. He's also very good at "guessing" what play the other team is going to run -- going all the way back to when he called the exact play the Knicks were going to run in '99 on that last shot. Additionally, Bud was a great summer league coach. I really wanted Bud to take over for Pop one day.

On one hand, I'm happy for him to get a shot. He doesn't have your typical NBA head coach personality and he's not a great interviewer so it was going to take a unique situation (in this case, the Ferry connection) for Bud to get his shot elsewhere.

But on the other hand, I'm kinda pissed at Bud and Ferry. You're telling me they couldn't have done a wink-wink agreement to avoid this potential distraction? Sure, it's not going to be a major distraction but the Spurs are heading into the Finals, you don't do anything to F that up. So, yeah, that's lame on Bud and Ferry's part.






P.S.

In the Grizzlies series, I noticed Brett Brown was a lot more involved/active during games. He was the most animated of the assistant coaches and most involved in terms of talking to players when they went to the sidelines, etc. That tells me that Bud probably had agreed to the job at some point earlier in the playoffs and Pop probably wasn't overly please with the timing and has already made Brett Brown the new lead assistant.

[Seventyniner]

Congrats to Coach Bud, he has paid his dues and earned it. Lets see him get another ring first though. As for a replacement, I dont know enough about Brent Brown but Id wouldnt mind seeing PJ come back. At the risk of a revolt here Id also wouldnt mind VDN.

Yes, that would be revolting.

[td4mvp2k]

Good for Bud. I hope he gets the job and I hope he does phenomenally well at it.

[elbamba]

Atlanta is going nowhere fast. Stupid decision for him to leave.

Strongly disagree. They have a couple of good pieces, especially with Al Hartford. They have over 40 million in cap space. They can begin to build, exactly what you want to do with a young coach like Bud and a GM who will not be quick to pull the trigger on 1-2 bad seasons. Ferry can build a team.

[TDomination]

In the Grizzlies series, I noticed Brett Brown was a lot more involved/active during games. He was the most animated of the assistant coaches and most involved in terms of talking to players when they went to the sidelines, etc. That tells me that Bud probably had agreed to the job at some point earlier in the playoffs and Pop probably wasn't overly please with the timing and has already made Brett Brown the new lead assistant.

This doesn't fill me with confidence knowing that Pop may not be happy with one of long time assistant coaches.

Last thing we need is any kind of disruption of chemistry whether its with the coaches or the players.

[KL2]

I'm guessing Brett Brown is taking over after Pop retires.

[spurs1990]

In the Grizzlies series, I noticed Brett Brown was a lot more involved/active during games. He was the most animated of the assistant coaches and most involved in terms of talking to players when they went to the sidelines, etc. That tells me that Bud probably had agreed to the job at some point earlier in the playoffs and Pop probably wasn't overly please with the timing and has already made Brett Brown the new lead assistant.

With all due respect I don't know if we can honestly ascribe such a petty response to Popovich. I can admit that this scenario could be a possibility but would imagine it lies far from the truth....unless you have some direct info.

[dunkman]

Why not wait till pop retires? He can take over, it's his already when pop leaves

Head coaches earn like 10X more then assistants.

[hsxvvd]

In the Grizzlies series, I noticed Brett Brown was a lot more involved/active during games. He was the most animated of the assistant coaches and most involved in terms of talking to players when they went to the sidelines, etc. That tells me that Bud probably had agreed to the job at some point earlier in the playoffs and Pop probably wasn't overly please with the timing and has already made Brett Brown the new lead assistant.

I noticed this, he appeared to be already acting as lead assistant.

[stnick2261]

I'd love Brown or PJ to be lead Assistant... but I'd really love Quin Snyder to come and be in charge of player development. He was a coach who loved teaching fundamentals to young players.

[FkLA]

ing Danny Ferry.

[moisaenz]

Good for coach Bud. He will be missed.

That being said, I wish this news could have waited until after the Finals.

Its good motivation win one for Bud..

[ChumpDumper]

In the Grizzlies series, I noticed Brett Brown was a lot more involved/active during games. He was the most animated of the assistant coaches and most involved in terms of talking to players when they went to the sidelines, etc. That tells me that Bud probably had agreed to the job at some point earlier in the playoffs and Pop probably wasn't overly please with the timing and has already made Brett Brown the new lead assistant.

I can see the torch's being passed to Brown, but Pop simply could have vetoed the negotiations had he really wanted to. I can't see his being anything but happy for Bud.

[Libri]

Its good motivation win one for Bud and TMac..

Fixed

[hater]

is undefetated coaching the spurs

[J.T.]

Didn't PJ just get fired? Maybe we bring him back to the bench.

[SenorSpur]

Congrats to Coach Bud. Good opportunity for him.

Would love to see P.J. back in the fold.

[letmk]

Damn, this sucks for the Spurs. Bud was a great lead assistant. When he took over for Pop, it was seamless. He's also very good at "guessing" what play the other team is going to run -- going all the way back to when he called the exact play the Knicks were going to run in '99 on that last shot. Additionally, Bud was a great summer league coach. I really wanted Bud to take over for Pop one day.

On one hand, I'm happy for him to get a shot. He doesn't have your typical NBA head coach personality and he's not a great interviewer so it was going to take a unique situation (in this case, the Ferry connection) for Bud to get his shot elsewhere.

But on the other hand, I'm kinda pissed at Bud and Ferry. You're telling me they couldn't have done a wink-wink agreement to avoid this potential distraction? Sure, it's not going to be a major distraction but the Spurs are heading into the Finals, you don't do anything to F that up. So, yeah, that's lame on Bud and Ferry's part.






P.S.

In the Grizzlies series, I noticed Brett Brown was a lot more involved/active during games. He was the most animated of the assistant coaches and most involved in terms of talking to players when they went to the sidelines, etc. That tells me that Bud probably had agreed to the job at some point earlier in the playoffs and Pop probably wasn't overly please with the timing and has already made Brett Brown the new lead assistant.

I don't have any inside info, but I feel you are over-reacting. If Pop doesn't at least acquiesce, Ferry cannot approach Bud at all.

[crc21209]

Well deserved! Congrats Bud!

Don't see why people need to call him out on it though. Spurs are most likely a lottery team anyway when Duncan, Manu, and Pop retire.

Say o to the next head coach Ime Udoka.

Please no. No Udoka...

[DrunkTXLabrat]

More like a sign the end might not be as near as we think it is.

haven't finished reading this thread. but great reply! are you implying what i think is obvious by this. pop is not retiring with timmy?!?

[Chinook]

haven't finished reading this thread. but great reply! are you implying what i think is obvious by this. pop is not retiring with timmy?!?

Yep, and that Duncan will probably stay for a couple of more years at least. Depending on his body, he may play beyond 2015. Even if he and Pop leave in two years, that's plenty of time to get another assistant ready.