27 May 2023 , 20:02
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The Milwaukee Bucks are reportedly hiring Toronto Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin to replace Mike Budenholzer as the team's next head coach.
Budenholzer, 53, was fired a week after the Bucks exited in the first round of the NBA playoffs against the Miami Heat in only five games. That was despite coaching the franchise to a championship in 2021 and finishing this season with the best record in the regular season.
In the weeks since, fellow NBA champion head coach Nick Nurse, who won a title in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors, was linked with the vacancy after losing his job as the regular season ended. Instead, it now seems his former assistant will be filling the role.
ESPN reports that Griffin and the Bucks are progressing on the terms of a contract, with an agreement expected soon. The Athletic also adds that Nurse withdrew from the process, and while that is yet to be confirmed the other two names in the frame were Griffin and current Golden State Warriors assistant coach - and former Brooklyn Nets head coach - Kenny Atkinson.
Despite lacking front-of-the-bench experience, Griffin is considered one of the leading head-coaching candidates across the league after spending over a decade as an assistant. That career started in Milwaukee.
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After spending two years in Wisconsin, he moved on to Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, and Oklahoma City Thunder. Since crossing the border to Toronto in 2018, Griffin has spent the last four seasons on Nurse's staff.
Giannis Antetokounmpo will no longer be coached by Mike Budenholzer next season after the head coach was fired (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)HAVE YOUR SAY! Do you think a change of head coach is enough for the Milwaukee Bucks to contend again next season? Join the discussion in the comments section.
He also spent a decade as a player in the league after going undrafted in 1996 following four years at Seton Hall in New Jersey. The small forward/shooting guard spent spells with the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks (twice), Houston Rockets, the Bulls (twice), and Seattle Supersonics following three initial years as a pro in the minor leagues.
His son, Adrian Jr., now also plays in the league after being drafted 16th overall by the Atlanta Hawk s last year. For Nurse, multiple attractive openings remain league-wide.
In particular, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Phoenix Suns. The Sixers and Suns fired Doc Rivers and Monty Williams, respectively, within days of each other after being eliminated during the Conference finals this month.
Toronto are still yet to replace Nurse, too, while the Detroit Pistons is the fourth and final head coaching vacancy. Rumours have also emerged during the Eastern Conference finals about the future of Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, but rallying from their 3-0 deficit to the Miami Heat has quelled those rumblings.
There is now less than a month to go until draft night. Teams would ideally like to have their head coaches in position before making their picks at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The Bucks seem set to have their man in position well ahead of that date. For Griffin, the task will be returning the team to postseason success after falling flat in consecutive seasons.