Blazers' Damian Lillard Calls Out Bucks for Firing 2021 NBA Champion Mike Budenholzer

Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard was not impressed with the Milwaukee Bucks' decision to fire head coach Mike Budenholzer.

"Folks out here firing championship coaches as soon as they don't win the chip," Lillard tweeted on May 4, an hour after the Bucks announced they were parting ways with Budenholzer.

The top-seeded Bucks were eliminated from the playoffs in a five-game upset by the eighth-seeded Miami Heat in the first round. Budenholzer had coached Milwaukee for five seasons and led the team to a title in 2021.

In five seasons under Budenholzer, the Bucks had a 271-120 record in the regular season and went 39-26 in the playoffs. Milwaukee topped 50 regular-season wins four times during that span, a feat the team last accomplished in 2000-01, and the Bucks headed into the playoffs as the top seed in 2019, 2020 and 2023.

The Bucks disappointed in the playoffs this year when they were ousted in one of the biggest upsets in NBA playoff history. After the series ended, The Athletic reported that Budenholzer's brother had died due to injuries suffered in a car accident just prior to Game 4.

Bucks leadership called Budenholzer's firing "a very difficult decision" in a letter shared on Twitter.

"We are grateful for the culture of winning and leadership that Bud helped create in Milwaukee," said Bucks management. "This is an opportunity for us to refocus and reenergize our efforts as we continue building toward our next championship season."

After the Blazers missed the playoffs for the second straight season in 2022-23, maybe Lillard would want Portland to consider hiring Budenholzer if the team decides to move on from Chauncey Billups.