Former Atlanta Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer is remembered fondly by Hawks fans for his time with the organization. However, the two sides parted ways when it became clear the Hawks were entering a rebuild. One that has never been completed while the head coach has bounced around the league. The veteran's latest stop ended in predictable fashion with the Phoenix Suns firing the coach after a frustrating 2024-25 season. This led to the Suns making an amusing choice that ties right back to the coach the organization just fired.
The new Suns head coach is Jordan Ott, who most recently worked with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Before joining the Cavs staff, the veteran coach spent time under Darvin Ham, Steve Nash, Kenny Atkinson, and Jacque Vaughn. It is an exciting chance for Ott, who has worked his way up through a myriad of roles working under a variety of personalities.
Former Hawks Head Coach Mike Budenholzer Mentored His Phoenix Replacement
Ott got his start as a part of the Hawks coaching staff under Budenholzer as the team's video coordinator from 2013-16. It was a role that started what has been an impressive career and gave the coach a chance to claim what has been a volatile position in Phoenix. It is fair to wonder how much of Ott's time spent with Kevin Durant plays into this.
The star is widely expected to be traded this offseason, but has spent time with the new coach during his seasons in Brooklyn. It wouldn't be a shock to see this move being made in an attempt to salvage the relationship and get the best of what the veteran has left in the tank.
The Suns have put themselves in an awful position, having handed a bench player a no-trade clause and building a roster that is a defensive liability. Ott will have his work cut out for him and will be taking over for his former boss. I tis an interesting hire that perhaps gives the franchise a bit of an idea of where things with Durant are headed. It is also a chance for Hawks fans to walk down memory lane and remember when the team had a coaching staff capable of pushing the team to relevance.