The Milwaukee Bucks are in for a busy summer, but they’ve already taken care of a critical step in the rebuilding process.
Today, less than a month after Doc Rivers’ departure, the team revealed its intentions to finalize a deal with Taylor Jenkins to take over as the new head coach. Jenkins, a Bucks assistant in 2018, went 250-214 in his career, ending with a six-year tenure on the Grizzlies.
“Jenkins was seen as the top available commodity in the NBA coaching landscape, and his player development pedigree, tenure as a culture-setter, and someone who drives competitiveness made him the Bucks’ top target. The Bucks’ brass, including ownership, met in person with Jenkins last week in Memphis and on Tuesday in Milwaukee to secure his commitment,” wrote ESPN’s Shams Charania on X.
More than anything, hiring Jenkins is a sign that the Bucks are still trying to keep everything together. While he’s not as accomplished as Steve Kerr or Tom Thibodeau, Coach Jenkins is a win-now type of leader who will establish a competitive culture in the locker room while maintaining a system of accountability. He’s also got the added skill set of player development, meaning he can still lead a younger team if Giannis leaves.
It’s the best of both worlds for the Bucks, as it gives them someone they can trust regardless of how the roster looks. With the team being in such a precarious situation right now, that kind of assurance is exactly what they need. At 32-50, they finished 11th in the East in their worst season in years, pushing Giannis’ loyalty to the limit. Between injuries, a lack of roster depth, and major division in the locker room, the Bucks failed to click on practically every level, resulting in lingering frustration that hung over the entire franchise.
While the Bucks narrowly avoided trading Giannis before the deadline, talks are expected to resume this offseason, with a number of teams poised to join the pursuit. So far, we can expect teams like the Knicks, Heat, Warriors, and potentially the Phoenix Suns to be involved, but almost every team in the league will likely consider making some kind of offer.
For now, at least, Milwaukee is moving like they are trying to build around Giannis, and hiring Jenkins was not done lightly. The veteran coach, 41, is best known for his tenure on the Memphis Grizzlies, where he helped transform the struggling franchise into a regular title contender. Under his watch, the Grizzlies enjoyed overwhelming prosperity and were poised to dominate for years to come, with explosive young point guard Ja Morant leading the way. Unfortunately, the team lost all momentum following a string of controversies that exposed their toxic situation.
Jenkins’ role in the Grizzlies’ collapse is still unclear, but he’s leaving all that behind now. On the Bucks, he’s got a new mission, and it starts right away by making a strong first impression. While this regular season may be over, how he prepares for the next season is going to tell a lot about what kind of team the Bucks are going to be.
Regardless of the results, the quick timing of this decision is no accident on the part of the Bucks. Even with Doc Rivers’ departure still fresh, they wanted to fill the void right away and make a statement to Giannis and the rest of the NBA. For their sake, the Bucks better hope that this choice is the right one, or it could have devastating consequences for their future.
