Taylor Jenkins suddenly has Darvin Ham decision Bucks hadn't counted on

Earlier in the hiring cycle, Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham was named as a leading candidate for the Pelicans' head-coaching vacancy. His future appeared to lie outside Milwaukee. Then New Orleans pivoted, signing fired Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley to a reported five-year contract. 

With Ham missing out on the Pelicans gig, new Bucks head coach Taylor Jenkins has a decision to make. Will he bring back Ham as an assistant or make his own selections to craft Milwaukee's coaching staff next season?

Ham has no guarantee of Bucks position under Jenkins

Ham also interviewed for the Bucks' opening before they brought in Jenkins. He was the organization's top internal option after serving two seasons in an assistant role under Doc Rivers, marking his return to the staff after a brief hiatus as head coach of the Lakers. 

Although he lasted only two years in Los Angeles, Ham's head-coaching resume includes a 90-74 regular-season record and a trip to the 2023 Conference Finals. Assistant stints in Milwaukee, Atlanta, and LA give him 13 years of additional experience. On top of that, Ham also played eight NBA seasons. If nothing else, he has put in his time around the game.

But with Bucks ownership clearly committed to Jenkins, it seems reasonable to imagine that he will have his pick of assistants to build out his staff. Ham and Jenkins both served on Milwaukee's staff under Mike Budenholzer during 2018-2019. Perhaps that connection will help secure Ham's spot on Jenkins' crew.

Or maybe it won't. By now it's no secret how fundamentally ineffectual the Rivers regime was in Milwaukee. Regardless of his personal actions, Ham is tied to it as Rivers' former right-hand man. Compared to public speculation, Jenkins and Bucks management will have a much better idea about Ham's contributions to the previous mess, positive or negative. 

Jenkins presumably has leeway to craft own crew

He might already have a replacement in mind. Rajon Rondo was also a member of the staff last season. Like Ham, he interviewed for the New Orleans job and was considered a strong candidate. That was before Mosley became available after Orlando blew a 3-1 first-round lead over the Pistons in the playoffs. 

Rondo shared a strong connection with Rivers as a central piece of the Celtics' title core while Rivers coached there. While he doesn't have that with Jenkins, his knowledge of the game is undeniable. Rondo seems like a solid bet to stick around if he doesn't earn a promotion elsewhere. 

It's also possible that Jenkins wants to clean house, instituting his own personal court based on his established coaching ties and preferences. At the helm for nearly six years in Memphis, he had plenty of time to develop an interpersonal web. Jenkins probably views certain personality types or coaching skill sets as vital to cultivating the strong culture he is known for. 

In the case of a wholesale restocking, Ham could find himself left out in the cold. Gone is the opening in New Orleans. He has not been linked to other vacancies around the league. If Jenkins wants to craft his own crew, Ham won't have his old Bucks job to fall back on, either.

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