The Bucks could take a while to find their next coach.
The Milwaukee Bucks are heading into one of the most important offseasons in franchise history, and the coaching search is already shaping up to be a long one.
After firing Doc Rivers following a 32-50 season, their worst finish in over a decade, general manager Jon Horst is not rushing toward a familiar face.
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, Milwaukee intends to look in several different directions.
Stein reported that the Bucks are planning to "cast a wide net" in the search, and that Horst has been putting together a candidates list featuring "a varied cross-section of names, archetypes and experience levels."
Two Names Already in the Mix
Two candidates have surfaced with strong ties to the organization.
Former Bucks assistant Taylor Jenkins and current assistant Darvin Ham are both expected to receive serious consideration, with Stein describing them as "certain candidates for the post."
But they are far from the only names on the board.
Jenkins spent one season on Mike Budenholzer's staff in 2018-19 before leading the Memphis Grizzlies for six seasons and compiling a 250-214 record that included a 56-win campaign.
He was let go last spring despite sitting well above .500, and at 41 years old he brings proven experience without being stuck in one era of basketball.
Ham knows the building inside and out after five years as a Milwaukee assistant, a two-year stint coaching the Los Angeles Lakers to an NBA Cup and a Western Conference Finals appearance, and a return to the Bucks' bench in 2024.
The Roster Decision That Shapes Everything
None of this exists in a vacuum.
The biggest question facing Milwaukee this summer is whether Giannis Antetokounmpo stays or goes.
Giannis played a career-low 36 games this season while still averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists, but the tension between him and the front office has been building for months.
He was shut down in March and publicly stated he was healthy enough to play, which only widened the disconnect.
With two guaranteed years left on his deal and a player option after that, Milwaukee has to figure out whether they are building around their star or preparing for a reset.
Who Fits the Young Core?
If the Bucks do move on from Giannis, the next coach will need to develop a roster that is younger and less proven.
Ryan Rollins had a breakout year, averaging 17.3 points, 5.6 assists, and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 40.6 percent from three at just 23 years old.
Jenkins' track record of building culture around young talent in Memphis makes him a natural fit for that direction, while Ham brings continuity and locker-room trust that could matter more if the goal is keeping Giannis.
Three coaching changes in three years is a lot for any franchise, and the Bucks cannot afford another miss.
Whoever takes the job next is walking into a team at a crossroads.