Milwaukee Bucks: GM search leaves franchise in uncertain territory
By Ti Windisch
The Milwaukee Bucks needs a good general manager, but the timing of the search for one is leaving the franchise in an uncertain place as the NBA Draft and free agency near.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ leadership are certainly being thorough as the team searches for a new general manager. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Milwaukee is interviewing even more front office people around the NBA as a part of their search next week.
Sources: Milwaukee has received permission to talk to two more GM candidates: Miami's Adam Simon and Detroit's Pat Garrity.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 1, 2017
New candidates include Portland assistant GM Bill Branch https://t.co/Bney0KQFUR
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 1, 2017
It’s good that Bucks ownership is taking this search seriously, but there’s not infinite time to conduct it. It’s possible for Justin Zanik to lead Milwaukee through the NBA Draft, sure, but there are a few problems with the concept of running the ship without anybody at the helm.
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First off, what if the new GM doesn’t like the players the Bucks drafted? That’s an awkward way to start someone’s tenure running a franchise. Milwaukee does not have a top pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, but that doesn’t mean the picks they do have aren’t important. As evidenced by the potential Rookie of the Year, Malcolm Brogdon, all picks matter.
Even more important, though, is how not having a general manager in place affects current Bucks. Greg Monroe has a huge decision to make about opting into next season, but he doesn’t have a set GM to even deliver his decision to at the moment.
One option I’ve hinted at for months is for Moose to opt out and then negotiate another deal with the Bucks. That might have never been a feasible option, but without the franchise naming a GM it feels impossible for the two sides to reach that kind of an agreement.
More than anything else, because Monroe wouldn’t want to be tied in for that long without knowing who he’s getting himself involved with. Moose isn’t the only Buck who could opt to leave this summer, either.
Tony Snell doesn’t truly have that option — he’s a restricted free agent — but again, it’s difficult to foresee Milwaukee getting any sort of good deal done with Snell without a general manager in place. Getting him to sign for less than what could be out there is not impossible — Khris Middleton took less than his max when he was a free agent — but it seems less plausible as the franchise currently sits.
There are other free agents who could leave, like Jason Terry and Michael Beasley, as well, not to mention the multitude of free agents the Bucks might want to sign this summer. Not having a GM makes all of that harder.
The most important player who has business with the front office, though, is Jabari Parker. Jabari could negotiate a contract extension this summer. With his injury and injury history that subject was always going to be extraordinarily complicated — now it’s even more cloudy.
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It’s more than just Bucks players who could be feeling uneasy, too. Zanik, who was reportedly picked to be the next GM, is now in a field with several other candidates. Additionally, Jason Kidd might not be feeling the best about his job safety at the moment.
It’s common for new general managers to bring not just new front office people, but a coach of their choosing too. It’s possible whoever is hired would rather not have Kidd coaching the Bucks.
It’s far from a done deal that Kidd is out, but not knowing is almost worse than getting bad news. That’s the rough part about this situation — it’s fluid and uncertain. As long as it stays that way, the franchise will be unable to function as usual.
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Maybe by next week this grousing will seem ridiculous, as a new GM will be in place making great moves for the future of the Milwaukee Bucks. Still, even if that happens — and we all obviously hope it does — it doesn’t mean this week wasn’t spent in a cloud of doubt.