Mike Budenholzer, after being dismissed by the Milwaukee Bucks last summer, has secured his next coaching position. He has been appointed as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns for the upcoming season.
Naturally, Budenholzer has been considering former colleagues for his coaching staff in Phoenix. This includes ex-Bucks assistant Darvin Ham, who was recently let go by the Los Angeles Lakers after two seasons.
Milwaukee Bucks News: Darvin Ham Rejected Mike Budenholzer’s Invitation
According to reports, however, Ham was not keen on joining Budenholzer’s staff with the Suns. NBA insider Marc Stein reports that the main reason behind Ham’s seems to point to the fact that the former Milwaukee assistant appears to be looking to take some time off after his spell in Hollywood (h/t Basketball on X)
“According to league sources, Budenholzer attempted to persuade Darvin Ham to join his staff in Phoenix, but Ham understandably declined after two demanding seasons with the Lakers,” wrote Stein.
Then again, it’s also very much possible that Ham is no longer willing to take a demotion. He’s already sat at the helm for arguably the most popular NBA team on the planet, so perhaps he would like his next job to be a head coaching position as well.
Given the “exacting” past two seasons he’s had with LeBron James and the Lakers, it also appears that Ham is willing to sit this season out — or perhaps the first part of it — as he takes his time making his next career move.
For his part, Coach Bud will need to look elsewhere as he forms his coaching staff in Phoenix.
