Report: Bucks to bring on Terry Stotts to coaching staff

Just seven days into the Adrian Griffin era in Milwaukee, the former Raptors assistant coach has made his first move with his coaching staff. Early Saturday evening, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Griffin hired former Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts to the staff.

Stotts has been out of coaching since being fired by the Trail Blazers after the 2020–21 season after losing to the Denver Nuggets in the first round in six games. The Bloomington, Indiana native racked up 402 wins in his nine seasons out on the west coast, but only made it past the first round three times in his tenure. Stotts did make the playoffs in his last eight seasons with Portland and Damian Lillard.

This will be the third time that Stotts has been coaching in Milwaukee, as he was an assistant coach under George Karl from 1998–2002. Stotts returned to Milwaukee three seasons later in 2005 as the head coach and had two forgettable seasons in the Cream City.

In those two years, Stotts lost to the first round of the playoffs to the No. 1 seed Detriot Pistons in five games before being fired 64 games into the 2006–07 season after going 23-41, where leading scorer Micheal Redd nearly missed 30 games.

According to the Athletic, the job came down to him and former Charlotte Hornets head coach James Borrego.

The Bucks made the right decision to bring on Stotts. Not only does Stotts have familiarity with the Bucks organization and the city of Milwaukee, but Stotts has also been a successful head coach and should help the first-time head coach in Griffin ease into this role.

We will keep you updated as Griffin continues to shape the Bucks’ coaching staff in his image.