Though he insisted one month ago that he prefers to remain on coach Gregg Popovich’s staff, it appears Spurs assistant coach Mike Budenholzer will interview with the Golden State Warriors about their head coach position.
Spurs general manager R.C. Buford confirmed Tuesday the Warriors had sought and been given permission to speak to Budenholzer about the job vacated when Keith Smart was dismissed after the regular season.
A report in the Contra Costa (Calif.) Times indicated that the Warriors’ new owner, Joe Lacob, will travel today to San Antonio to meet with Budenholzer, a member of Popovich’s staff for 15 seasons.
Budenholzer’s name first surfaced after Smart was fired in late April. Before Game 6 of the Spurs’ first-round series against the Grizzlies, he said he was flattered but would remain with the Spurs.
“That could change at some time,” he said then, “but for the foreseeable future, that’s how I feel, and that’s how I’ve felt for the last little while.”
Since then, Lacob hired former Lakers and Grizzlies general manager Jerry West to be part of his basketball operations department, a possible factor in Budenholzer’s change of heart about interviewing for the job.