Bucks finalizing deal to hire Taylor Jenkins as head coach: Sources
The Milwaukee Bucks are finalizing a deal with Taylor Jenkins to develop into the crew’s subsequent head coach, league sources confirmed to TheAthletic.
The 41-year-old was the head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies from 2019 to 2025 and led the franchise to 4 playoff appearances in his six seasons.
League sources instructed TheAthletic The settlement comes on the finish of a “full-court press” by the group to safe one of many prime names on the teaching market earlier than different groups have an opportunity to enter the market after postseason eliminations. Ace TheAthletic first reportedbasic supervisor Jon Horst and each of the Bucks’ main house owners, Wes Edens and Jimmy Haslam, traveled to Memphis early final week to specific their curiosity in bringing Jenkins to Milwaukee.
Jenkins gained 54 % of his video games throughout his time in Memphis. The excessive level was throughout the 2021-22 season, when Memphis tied a franchise file with 56 regular-season victories and in addition gained a playoff collection for the primary time since 2015.
Before then, Jenkins served as a Bucks assistant coach beneath Mike Budenholzer within the 2018-19 season. He has additionally coached beneath Budenholzer in Atlanta from 2013 to 2018.
Jenkins didn’t coach the Grizzlies within the final of these 4 playoff appearances as a result of the group fired him with 9 video games remaining within the 2024-25 season. Tuomas Iisalo, one of many assistant coaches the group requested Jenkins to hire earlier than the season, changed him. In Jenkins’ most profitable season with Memphis, the Grizzlies ranked within the prime 5 in offensive and defensive effectivity, per Cleaning the Glass.
Overwhelmingly, nonetheless, Jenkins’ groups gained with protection. While any nice protection wants the correct personnel to be efficient, Jenkins successfully leveraged these personnel to create one of many NBA’s most suffocating defenses.
| OFF Rank | Def Rank | |
|---|---|---|
2019-20 | twenty third | 14th |
2020-21 | fifteenth | seventh |
2021-22 | 4th | fifth |
2022-23 | eleventh | 2nd |
2023-24 | thirtieth | thirteenth |
2024-25 | sixth | tenth |
Jenkins’ system efficiently maximized the flexibility and shot-blocking capability of Jaren Jackson Jr. to shut down the rim for opposing offenses. Jackson led the league in blocks per recreation twice and gained the 2022-23 Defensive Player of the Year beneath Jenkins.
Memphis’ protection additionally restricted nook 3s, rating within the backside 10 in nook 3 frequency in 5 of Jenkins’ six seasons. They pressured a variety of turnovers, ending within the prime 10 in turnover charge in 4 of Jenkins’ six seasons.
Outside of the 2023-24 season, throughout which Grizzlies star Ja Morant performed simply 9 video games, Memphis sometimes posted an above-average offense with Jenkins on the helm and completed within the prime 10 in offensive effectivity twice throughout his tenure.
Jenkins was one of many first coaches to emphasize successful the possession battle on a nightly foundation, a tactical development that different coaches have now embraced. Despite repeatedly ending within the backside 10 in efficient field-goal proportion, Memphis managed to put collectively above-average offensive effectivity numbers by relentlessly attacking the offensive glass. The Grizzlies have been the NBA’s prime offensive rebounding crew in 2021-22, in accordance to Cleaning the Glass, and completed prime 5 within the class in 4 of Jenkins’ six seasons.
With the Bucks admitting they may take into account buying and selling Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason, they wanted a coach with a powerful strategic method. During his time in Memphis, Jenkins confirmed he may devise a set of techniques that labored for his particular personnel. He will want to try this once more in Milwaukee to repair a crew that completed twenty second in factors scored per 100 possessions and twenty seventh in factors allowed per 100 possessions final season.