According to reports, the Milwaukee Bucks are set to hire former Toronto Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin as their new head coach. Sources have revealed that the Bucks reached a decision on Saturday morning and have since started negotiations on a multiyear contract with Griffin, with a formal agreement expected to be announced shortly.
According to insiders, Bucks general manager Jon Horst and team ownership were particularly impressed by Griffin’s leadership qualities, character, and his ability to oversee strong defensive teams. The Bucks parted ways with former head coach Mike Budenholzer following a first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Miami Heat. Griffin will now take over a roster that’s two years removed from winning the NBA championship and possesses arguably the league’s best player in Giannis Antetokounmpo.
In the search for a new head coach, Griffin, Golden State Warriors associate head coach Kenny Atkinson, and former Raptors coach Nick Nurse, each had the opportunity to meet with Antetokounmpo as part of the evaluation process. Ultimately, it seems the Bucks were convinced that Griffin was the right choice.
Griffin brings a wealth of experience to his new position, despite this being his first head-coaching job. Over the past four years, he served as Nurse’s top assistant in Toronto, where he earned a reputation as a highly regarded defensive coach. He also has a history with Bucks general manager Jon Horst, as Horst was part of the front office when Griffin began his coaching career in Milwaukee back in 2008.
Before transitioning into coaching, Griffin enjoyed a playing career spanning nine seasons in the NBA. He had stints with several teams, including the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, and Seattle SuperSonics.
The 48 year old was reportedly under consideration to take over the Raptors head coaching role following Nurse’s dismissal. However with rumours that Toronto could be in for a massive offseason roster overhaul, the Milwaukee job, and its already established roster evidently proved to be a more enticing option for the first time head coach.
Having won a title as an assistant with the Raptors in 2019, Griffin brings championship pedigree to the table. Ironically, it was that same Raptors squad who knocked out Milwaukee in the Conference Finals, winning the series 4 games to 2 over the Giannis led Bucks.
Toronto’s ability to scheme ways to prevent the Greek Freak from getting to the rim at will proved to be a turning point in the series, and were largely credited to Griffin after the fact.
While the deal has yet to be formally announced, it’s widely expected that the Bucks will hold a press conference in the coming days to unveil their new bench boss.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner
Photo: Shaheen Karolia. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.