The Milwaukee Bucks have not seen much success with either of their last two coaching hires, but it wasn't the fault of General Manager Jon Horst. As detailed by NBA insider Jake Fischer (subscription required), neither Adrian Griffin nor Doc Rivers being hired reportedly came down to Horst's decision, as both were affected by other factors. Now, the question is whether that will change this summer.
Horst's input has been clouded in last two coaching hires
Fischer points out that Giannis Antetokounmpo's preference played a "significant part" in the Bucks hiring Adrian Griffin in 2023. When Griffin was fired in his first season and the team once again had a coaching opening, it was ownership that wanted the team to pounce on Doc Rivers. Those decisions don't have Horst's name on them, despite him being the one supposedly calling the shots.
Making things frustrating is that Horst had some good ideas. Per Kevin O'Connor, who was with The Ringer at the time, Horst reportedly wanted Nick Nurse, a championship-winning head coach, when the Bucks went with Griffin. Before hiring Rivers, Horst allegedly wanted Kenny Atkinson, who went on to win Coach of the Year with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Ouch. Twice.
Perhaps the Milwaukee Bucks should let Horst have more say in this coaching cycle so the team can avoid the disaster it's battled the past three seasons.
Bucks need to nail their next head coaching hire
The Milwaukee Bucks cannot afford to mess this up. The last three years have shown the unraveling of a contender at an incredible speed. If this team wants to climb out of the gutter and return to its contending status anytime soon, finding a head coach who is on the same page as everyone else will be essential.
Who exactly the Bucks will hire is anyone's guess. Fischer reports that Horst is already "assembling a candidates list" to explore this summer. It's good that the Milwaukee Bucks are seemingly preparing to cast a wide net rather than zeroing in on one name and making him their priority as they did with Doc Rivers. Scan the market entirely. Leave no stone unturned.
Let Jon Horst do his job. Giannis Antetokounmpo, if he plans to stay, can certainly give some input on their next coach. Ownership will get involved without question. Those things are fine. Yet, Horst needs to call some shots as well. Say what you want about some of Horst's trades or draft picks, but based on rumors, it sounds like he had a pretty good grip on potential head coaching candidates.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.
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