The Milwaukee Bucks cannot offer Giannis Antetokounmpo an extension until October 1, but they must resolve the situation well before then. With it sounding likely that Doc Rivers' days as the Bucks head coach are numbered, the front office will have a challenging time finding a replacement without any clarity on Giannis' situation.
Giannis' future is Bucks' biggest question mark
Think about it. No one is taking that Bucks job until they know if they have an opportunity to coach one of the best players in the league or not. Losing Giannis wouldn't make the job undesirable in its entirety, as there could be some nice pieces left over to begin a rebuild/retool, but he would clearly make the gig more appealing.
If the Bucks don't figure it out quickly, there's a chance they could lose out on prefered candidates.
A rumor that Taylor Jenkins, a Bucks assistant coach in 2018-19, would be a "prime candidate" in the team's search for a new coach, as reported by insider Marc Stein (subscription required), is out there. In a separate piece, Jake Fischer (subscription required) reports that the Washington Wizards could also be in the mix for Jenkins if they seek a new coach.
If Jenkins happens to be weighing the two, would he lean toward joining a Bucks team that has a star who may or may not be committed or an organization in Washington with a young core locked in as well as a pair of veterans in Trae Young and Anthony Davis? If stability is what he's on the hunt for, he might give more consideration to Washington.
Bucks must move quickly to tackle offseason priority
As soon as Milwaukee's season ends, meetings need to be had. Giannis and the Bucks management must come together and figure things out. No subtleness. No talking through the media. Just get into it face-to-face and figure out the future of the franchise. Is there a way to continue this relationship? If so, figure it out. If the ship has sailed, act accordingly.
If the Bucks take a slow approach to either convince Giannis to stay or hold out until they have the best trade offer at the last second, it will throw off Milwaukee's coaching search entirely. It's just not what this team needs. The constant rumors hurt them enough this season; they can't afford to let them linger for another entire summer.
Big decisions await the Milwaukee Bucks soon.
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