The Bucks have found a new head coach to succeed Doc Rivers.
On Thursday, Milwaukee announced the hiring of Taylor Jenkins, as reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Jenkins, aged 41, has a six-season history with the Grizzlies, where he achieved a record of 250 wins and 214 losses, guiding Memphis to the playoffs three times.
In a surprising turn last March, Jenkins was let go by the Grizzlies even though the team was performing well with a record of 44-29 and had already secured a playoff spot.
This marks a return to Milwaukee for Jenkins, who served as an assistant coach under Mike Budenholzer during the 2018-19 season before taking the head coach position with the Grizzlies.
He steps into the role previously held by Rivers, who resigned after two and a half seasons.
It’s a significant offseason for the Bucks, especially after they finished the regular season with a disappointing 32-50 record and missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade.
Concerns about two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo linger, as trade rumors circulate ahead of the final guaranteed season of his contract.
Having spent his entire career with the Bucks, Antetokounmpo was nearly traded before the February deadline. His relationship with the franchise appears to have weakened since then.
He experienced a hyperextended knee on March 15 but later insisted he was fit to play, accusing the Bucks of preventing him from hitting the court.
“For someone to tell you not to play, it’s like a slap in the face,” he stated before the end of the season. “So I don’t know where the relationship goes from there.”
Bucks co-owner Wes Edens has expressed a clear stance regarding Antetokounmpo’s future, stating he doesn’t want the star to play the upcoming season without a new contract.
“Giannis is entering his final year [of his contract]. So one of two things is going to happen: he’s either going to get extended or he’s going to be traded,” Edens remarked.
