Bucks don't plan to fire coach Mike Budenholzer despite early playoff exit

After having a historically good regular season, the Milwaukee Bucks once again fell short when it counted. They lost to the Miami Heat in five games, failing to reach the conference finals. Despite having the best record in the NBA and the soon-to-be back-to-back MVP, the Bucks looked entirely overmatched and were totally dominated by the Heat. 

This disappointing exit caused many to point the finger at head coach Mike Budenholzer, saying that he is holding the team back and should be held accountable for his playoff failures. But the Athletic reports that even with these concerns, Milwaukee does not plan to fire Budenholzer this offseason.

The Bucks are in a tricky position when it comes to making any sort of major changes. They are widely considered to be one of the best teams in the league but also have not made it out of the East with Giannis Antetokounmpo's contract expiring after next season. 

Giannis is still under contract for another year and seems open to staying in Milwaukee long term. However, will he pressure the team to make trades or coaching changes if he stays? It's possible, and it seems like the Bucks would be willing to do whatever it takes to keep Giannis. The question is what would that require? Trading Khris Middleton so the team can grab Antetokounmpo an elite teammate like Chris Paul? It's not clear, but at least Budenholzer can rest easy knowing he's getting at least one more shot.