Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Bucks are entering a pivotal offseason following a disappointing season and the imminent departure of Giannis, signaling a potential rebuild.
- Experienced candidates with prior NBA head coaching roles or strong developmental reputations like Chris Quinn, Taylor Jenkins and Sam Cassell are on the radar.
- This decision will be crucial for shaping the team's future direction and culture as they navigate life without their star player.
The Milwaukee Bucks are poised for an offseason of change with Giannis Antetokounmpo seemingly out the door. In fact, it already started with Doc Rivers and the Bucks immediately parting ways hours after the season ended.
This was far from a surprise after such a disastrous season and reports of a disconnect between Rivers and the team. Regardless, it's clear that Milwaukee will be leaning into some level of a rebuild with Giannis all but gone in the offseason. Without any further ado, here are five coaches who could lead this new era of Bucks basketball.
Taylor Jenkins
Reporting from Marc Stein of The Stein Line indicates that Taylor Jenkins has already emerged as a prime candidate to land the Bucks' job, and it's easy to see why. Jenkins was an assistant with the Bucks in the 2018-19 season before landing a head coaching job with the Memphis Grizzlies. More importantly, though, Jenkins proved to be a darn good coach in Memphis and is the most proven coach who we know will be available. Frankly, I always found firing him to be a curious choice for the Grizzlies.
During his time in Memphis, Jenkins did a fantastic job of turning around the Grizzlies. In his third season, he led them to a 56-26 record, which was good for second in the West. Rebuilding without the majority of their future draft capital will be challenging for the Bucks, but Jenkins could be the perfect man for the job.
It seems like this is Jenkins' job if he wants it, but it's also possible that he lands one of the other openings.
Darvin Ham
Fans might quiver hearing Darvin Ham's name mentioned as a head coaching candidate after a lackluster two-year tenure as the Los Angeles Lakers' coach. In fairness, I don't think all of the criticisms around Ham are fair. That's not to say he'd be my first choice, but giving him another chance wouldn't be an awful decision, in my eyes.
More importantly, HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported that Ham is a candidate for the Bucks job. He served as the Bucks' lead assistant over the past two seasons and, beforehand, was an assistant with Milwaukee for four years. Thus, it's clear that the Bucks organization is fond of him.
If Ham has a high approval rate in the Bucks locker room and the organization trusts him to develop young players, I could see the logic of hiring him to some degree.
James Borrego
James Borrego took over as the New Orleans Pelicans' interim coach in the middle of this season. However, his future with the team is in doubt, and per Scotto, he could be another candidate for the Bucks job.
I think Borrego is a high-level coach who shouldn't be blamed for the Pelicans' dysfunction, and if he's available, he'd be perfect for the Bucks. Borrego is a creative offensive mind who led the Charlotte Hornets to a winning record in his last full season as a head coach. For a rebuilding team like the Bucks, Borrego would be an ideal fit.
Sam Cassell
Sam Cassell is long overdue to earn a head coaching job. He's been a highly respected assistant since retiring from an illustrious career in 2008. Cassell currently serves as an assistant to Joe Mazzulla on the Boston Celtics. Given this, it's likely that Cassell would bring with him some much-needed modern basketball principles to the Bucks on both ends of the court.
Looking at Charles Lee's success with the Hornets, hiring one of Mazzulla's assistants seems like a safe bet. Cassell's experience as a player will also make him relatable. Plus, from 1999 to 2003, he played for the Bucks.
All in all, it would be a surprise if Cassell isn't at the very least interviewed for the Bucks' head coaching job.
Chris Quinn
Much like Cassell, Chris Quinn seems long overdue for a head coaching job. Per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Quinn is one of the many assistant coaches who will be considered for a head coaching position this offseason.
He has served as an assistant for the Miami Heat since 2014. Erik Spoelstra is the perfect coach to learn from, and Quinn is well-known for his ability to develop talent. Overall, Quinn seems destined to be an awesome coach whenever he gets an opportunity, and his developmental style of coaching could make him a perfect match with Milwaukee.