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Earlier today, Yahoo’s Jake Fischer dropped a quick update for us on the status of Milwaukee’s quest for a new head coach:
Coming to you on this Sunday to share two things, while I head to a wedding.
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) May 21, 2023
First, it sounds like Milwaukee is narrowing its coaching search to a second group over this weekend.
Second, for anyone who hasn’t watched Jury Duty on Amazon Prime… what a total gem.
This is the first I’ve heard of a show called Jury Duty, but I basically only watch hoops, baseball, and Curb Your Enthusiasm so that’s no shocker.
Oh, you wanted me to talk about the first point? Alright, sure. The Bucks have been connected to fifteen candidates for their opening, ranging from highly experienced former head coaches—two who guided their teams to championships—to assistants who entered the league as recently as 2019. Their ages span from a young 38 (Charles Lee and Will Weaver) to a grizzled 67 (Kelvin Sampson). Among those fifteen, we got concrete reports that the Bucks were set to interview or already had interviewed thirteen, not including their rumored interest in current Clippers’ head coach Tyronn Lue and recently dismissed former Suns head coach Monty Williams.
If Fischer’s report is to be believed, GM Jon Horst is whittling down his expansive list of candidates to those advancing to a second round. Whether that makes those names—however large or small—the “finalists,” no one knows. Plus, in the last few days, multiple reports have emerged that Sampson will stay at the University of Houston, so the interview might have been related to his desire for a new contract from the school. Seems like we can safely eliminate him from contention. Still, it’s certainly possible that Horst has interviewed other prospective head coaches and managed to avoid word leaking to the media, just as it’s possible he’ll add another name to this next group that he hadn’t previously considered or spoken with.
For now, though, let’s assume that the next Bucks head coach will come from this group of twelve guys, excepting Sampson. With our previous poll consisting of 20 names I identified prior to any news of interviewees breaking now closed after over 1300 votes, let’s take a final look at it and open up a new one.
Poll
Among the names discussed, who would interest you the most as the Bucks’ next head coach?
This poll is closed
-
0%
David Adelman
(2 votes) -
7%
Kenny Atkinson
(96 votes) -
5%
Sam Cassell
(76 votes) -
0%
Jarron Collins
(3 votes) -
0%
Dan Craig
(2 votes) -
1%
Mike D’Antoni
(26 votes) -
1%
Jordi Fernández
(21 votes) -
0%
Adrian Griffin
(3 votes) -
17%
Becky Hammon
(238 votes) -
5%
Charles Lee
(76 votes) -
20%
Tyronn Lue
(276 votes) -
0%
Eric Musselman
(8 votes) -
1%
Steve Nash
(23 votes) -
14%
Nick Nurse
(202 votes) -
0%
Kevin Ollie
(5 votes) -
5%
Chris Quinn
(76 votes) -
0%
Sergio Scariolo
(13 votes) -
1%
Jerry Stackhouse
(16 votes) -
1%
Frank Vogel
(20 votes) -
4%
Jay Wright
(57 votes) -
8%
Someone else
(114 votes)
As you can see, over half of our respondents chose one of three coaches: Lue, Becky Hammon, and Nick Nurse. Of that trio, only Nurse is reported to be under firm consideration (as far as we know, Lue hasn’t spoken with any teams aside from the Clippers, who may be trying to work out a new deal for their head coach and aren’t letting other teams interview speak with him), and only as of Friday. Of the other names listed above, only Charles Lee, Chris Quinn, Adrian Griffin, and Kenny Atkinson were reportedly interviewed by the Bucks.
Without Lue, Williams, or anyone else not reported as an applicant, I turn it over to you to pick your preference from the reported dozen candidates. I’ll leave this active until the Bucks make their hire, or a report emerges that someone like Williams or Lue speaks with the team.
Poll
Of the reported candidates, who do you want the Bucks to hire as their next head coach?
-
18%
Kenny Atkinson
(267 votes) -
0%
Joseph Blair
(5 votes) -
0%
James Borrego
(10 votes) -
2%
Scott Brooks
(36 votes) -
3%
Adrian Griffin
(47 votes) -
6%
Mark Jackson
(92 votes) -
6%
Charles Lee
(92 votes) -
38%
Nick Nurse
(564 votes) -
20%
Chris Quinn
(302 votes) -
0%
Will Weaver
(6 votes) -
3%
Frank Vogel
(46 votes) -
0%
Kevin Young
(5 votes)
In 2018, we did learn of the Bucks’ two finalists before a hire: Mike Budenholzer and Ettore Messina. Stay tuned to find out if we hear something similar again.
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