Pistons Backing Off on Jon Horst Pursuit After Bucks Deny Interview Request

The Milwaukee Bucks may have disappointed in the 2023-24 NBA season after flaming out early in the playoffs, but its lead decision-maker is still highly coveted around the league. Jon Horst, who has been the general manager in Milwaukee since 2017, has long been a hot commodity in the NBA, after helping turn the organization into a consistent title contender.

The latest team to express interest in the 41-year-old GM was the Detroit Pistons. After having the worst season in franchise history where they finished 14-68 and breaking the all-time record for a losing streak, the Pistons are naturally making some changes. This includes hiring a new President of Basketball Operations, for which they had Horst on the shortlist.

Bucks GM Jon Horst Staying in Milwaukee Despite Interest from Detroit

However, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Milwaukee Bucks have denied the interview request by the Detroit Pistons. Horst is still under contract with the Bucks after signing a multi-year deal in 2021.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Horst "was indeed interested in speaking to the Pistons", however, the ownership wanted to retain him.

Even though this may have been posturing by the Bucks to get assets from Detroit, the Pistons have reportedly moved on to other candidates.

This is a good thing for the Bucks. The organization has already gone through significant changes over the last season, first moving on from Mike Budenholzer, then Adrian Griffin. Currently, Doc Rivers is in the process of completely revamping his coaching staff. For the lead decision-makers to be on the same page, it's important to have some continuity within the organization.

Therefore, Horst staying on and being in charge of this transformative offseason is very important. The Bucks need to find more contributors and high-level role players to pair alongside Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer. With Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez still under contract, Jon Horst needs to get creative in how to build out the rest of roster with limited resources.

More Bucks news and rumors: