The Milwaukee Bucks are finalizing a deal to hire Taylor Jenkins as their next head coach, per ESPN. Jenkins will replace Doc Rivers, who stepped down earlier this month after three tumultuous seasons in charge in Milwaukee.
Jenkins is a familiar face in Milwaukee, as he spent a year as a lead assistant with the Bucks under Mike Budenholzer in 2018-19 before getting hired as the head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies in 2019. Over six seasons in Memphis, Jenkins compiled a 250-214 record, leading the Grizzlies to three playoff appearances — and was fired late in the 2024-25 season while Memphis was on its way to a fourth postseason appearance.
Jenkins took a year away from coaching, but is set to return in Milwaukee, where there are major questions about the short- and long-term future for the Bucks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s status with the team has been in question for a year now, and the will he/won’t he saga surrounding a potential trade request hung over the Bucks the entire season as they went a disappointing 32-50. Entering this offseason, the biggest question facing the Bucks is whether they will seriously engage other teams on Antetokounmpo trade talks and look to move off their long-time franchise star, or if they’ll try once again to retool and rebuild around him to convince him they’re capable of contending in the manner he wants.
Hiring Jenkins seems to provide the Bucks with an avenue to go in either direction. Jenkins’ year with the Bucks as an assistant means he will have familiarity with Antetokounmpo and will know how to operate an offense and defense built around the star.
On the other hand, Jenkins was in charge of a rebuilding process in Memphis, taking a young team and quickly turning it into a playoff contender, meaning if the Bucks and Antetokounmpo part ways, he won’t be unfamiliar with the challenges of coaching a young, rebuilding team.
Being comfortable with either outcome made Jenkins an ideal candidate for the Bucks, and they moved quickly to get their man into Milwaukee ahead of a pivotal summer for the franchise.
