According to a recent report by ESPN, the Milwaukee Bucks are finalizing terms with former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins to sign on as the Bucks new head coach, filling a vacancy left after the Bucks parted ways with Doc Rivers at the end of this season. 

Jenkins was the most successful coach in Grizzlies history with a career 250-214 record across six seasons along with three playoff appearances, but was fired in March 2025, leaving him available for the Bucks to swoop in and bring some new leadership into the organization.

The Bucks are desperate for stability. They finished just 32-50 this season and missed the playoffs for the first time in 10 seasons. 

The other prevailing issue with the Bucks this season was the ongoing drama with star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has made a series of vague remarks this season that has left his future with the team in question.

Antetokounmpo stayed with the team after the trade deadline despite rumors that he was interested in being traded and he's entering the final guaranteed season of his contract in 2026-27, with a player option available to him after that. 

Antetokounmpo reportedly wasn't believed to be involved in the hiring process of Jenkins and according to ESPN, hasn't had significant conversations with team leadership since the trade deadline about his future plans with the team. 

Retaining the former MVP and star of the franchise is definitely a huge focus of the Milwaukee at this point and based on Antetokounmpo's frustrations with the team's performance and his desire to play for a contending team, improving the team's success and getting them back to the playoffs is the most direct way to do that.

Jenkins has a proven record of success from his time in Memphis, but beyond that, he's been celebrated for his ability to connect with young players and promote player development. 

Independent of Antetokounmpo, a development-focused coach is what the Bucks need right now. Players like Ryan Rollins and Ousmane Dieng are being positioned to be major pieces of the Milwaukee roster moving forward, but both are also in the infancy of their careers and could benefit from Jenkin's guidance.

The Bucks are also on the edge of a decision between "win now" mode and turning toward a rebuild of the team.

Jenkins can toe the line between both directions the franchise could take, either guiding the Bucks to success now for Antetokounmo's benefit or stand as the foundation for an increasingly younger team to build toward future success.