Bucks New Head Coach Adrian Griffin - Photo by The Toronto Star
MILWAUKEE, WI (WSAU) – According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Milwaukee Bucks have reportedly hired Toronto Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin to replace Mike Budenholzer.
The hiring follows Charania’s Saturday story that former Raptors coach Nick Nurse had withdrawn from the interview process. Kenny Atkinson, an assistant for the Golden State Warriors and former Brooklyn Nets head coach was supposedly the other finalist.
Griffin worked as a Raptors assistant from 2018 until 2023. Earlier in his career, he also worked as an assistant for the Bucks, Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, and Oklahoma City Thunder.
He also played in the NBA from 1999 to 2008 for nine seasons before turning into a coach. Griffin played for the Bulls, Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, and Seattle SuperSonics throughout his nine-year career.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA MVP, “vouched” for Griffin to be hired, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.
Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton were invited by Bucks general manager Jon Horst to a dinner on Thursday night to discuss the head-coaching choice with the team’s governance group, according to Shams Charania, Eric Nehm, and Eric Koreen of The Athletic.
Middleton could opt to become a free agent this summer, so the invitation to the dinner was thought to be interesting. The three-time All-Star has a $40.4 million player option for 2023–24, but the Bucks don’t appear to be worried about Middleton signing elsewhere based on him participating in such a significant decision.
While Antetokounmpo is under contract for at least the next two years with a $51.9 million player option for 2025–26, his long-term future is a concern if the Bucks cannot return to being a championship caliber team.
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