Milwaukee Bucks: Big offseason decisions are looming
By Anthony Haag
The offseason has not officially started but Milwaukee Bucks ownership has already embarked on one of the biggest decisions they will make, hiring a coach.
This is one of the most important offseasons in franchise history for the Milwaukee Bucks. For the past several seasons the Bucks have been marketing the ‘Future’ to Milwaukee. Well guess what? With a new arena opening next season, the future is now. Bucks General Manager Jon Horst faces some major decisions to get this team back on the right track and trending upward.
The most important decision that GM Horst and ownership have to make is hiring the next head coach. They absolutely can not get this wrong. Making the wrong hire again could set this franchise back, again. The ownership has to be all on the same page in making this decision, meaning they all have to agree. We have seen with this ownership, that getting all of the principal owners to agree could be rather challenging.
We have all heard the names of the coaching candidates the team is bringing in. It would not be a shock if the team ended up hiring someone who has not been leaked out. If you are a team looking for a head coach, there is no better place to look than the San Antonio Spurs and the Greg Popovich coaching tree.
Related Story: Top 5 most-likely coaching candidates for the Bucks
Here are two candidates from Greg Popovich’s coaching staff that the Bucks should strongly consider.
Ettore Messina
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Popovich’s top assistant has to be near the top of the Bucks wish list. Messina is one of the best European coaches of all-time. He won four EuroLeague championships and won the coach of the year award twice. This would bode well for guys like Giannis who have played over seas. Messina’s offense is vastly different than the one we have been seeing the past few seasons under Jason Kidd and Joe Prunty.
He wants his players to spread the floor and keep the defense moving, where guys can shoot through the gaps in the defense. Movement is key to his offense. He is very hard-nosed and disciplined like Coach Popovich, which isn’t a bad thing and something that the Bucks desperately need. Messina is regarded as someone who has a superior Basketball mind and will be an NBA head coach one day. It’s up to the Bucks brass to decide if he is the right fit for this team.
Becky Hammon
The Bucks interest in Hammon should come as no surprise. Ownership previously interviewed her for their vacant General Manager position. She is now the first woman to interview for an NBA head coaching position. Hammon comes highly regarded around the league, not just from Greg Popovich but from players such as Pau Gasol and LeBron James.
You could say that Becky Hammon does have head coaching experience as she coached the Spurs’ summer league team for two seasons and also stepped in for Popovich for one game this past October. Coming from the Popovich coaching tree is very intriguing, and you hope she could bring that winning culture with her.
Next: Bucks' 5 biggest needs this offseason
The big decisions don’t end there. Horst needs to figure out what to do with Jabari Parker. Welcome to the big boy chair Jon Horst. Last offseason was fairly easy, this offseason will be the real challenge and will determine which direction this franchise is heading.