Sources have revealed that the Milwaukee Bucks have narrowed down their search for a new head coach to three top candidates. The franchise plans to meet with ex-Toronto coach Nick Nurse, Golden State Warriors associate head coach Kenny Atkinson, and Raptors assistant Adrian Griffin this week.
Bucks general manager Jon Horst interviewed up to 15 candidates in recent weeks, but the franchise has now begun to pare down the list of finalists. Nurse is a popular choice not only for the Bucks but also for the Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons, and his former team, the Toronto Raptors. Griffin, on the other hand, has been steadily climbing the ranks as a top head-coaching candidate among league assistants.
The Bucks offer an attractive job opportunity in a highly competitive marketplace, with two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in his prime. The team is searching for a replacement for former head coach Mike Budenholzer, who was fired after the team was upset in the opening round of the Eastern Conference playoffs as the No. 1 seed. However, Budenholzer left with an impressive .700 regular-season winning percentage and a 2021 NBA championship.
Nurse left Toronto with an NBA title in 2019, an NBA Coach of the Year award in 2020, and a 227-163 (.582) record in five seasons as coach. Meanwhile, Atkinson accepted the Hornets’ head-coaching job last spring before changing his mind and remaining with the Warriors for a second season. He spent a year on the Clippers’ coaching staff after parting ways with the Brooklyn Nets in the 2019-20 season. Atkinson was 118-190 in the three-plus years with the Nets, including going 42-40 record and reaching the playoffs in the 2018-19 season.
Griffin has had several stops in his coaching career, including with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, and the Raptors, where he has spent the past four years on Nurse’s staff. Griffin began his NBA coaching career as an assistant for the Bucks during the 2008-2010 seasons.
The Milwaukee Bucks have narrowed down their search for a new head coach to three top candidates. The franchise will be meeting with Nick Nurse, Kenny Atkinson, and Adrian Griffin this week, and the decision will be a crucial one as they seek to replace former head coach Mike Budenholzer and lead the team to further success.
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