MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks are finalizing a deal with Taylor Jenkins to fill their head-coaching position that became vacant after Doc Rivers' departure, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Thursday.
The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because no hire had been announced. ESPN first reported that the Bucks were finalizing a deal with Jenkins.
Jenkins coached the Memphis Grizzlies from 2019-25 and posted a 250-214 record that included three straight playoff appearances from 2021-23. The playoff-bound Grizzlies fired him with nine games left in the 2024-25 season and went on to get swept by eventual champion Oklahoma City in the first round of that year's playoffs.
This would represent a return to Milwaukee for Jenkins, who was an assistant coach on Mike Budenholzer's staff during the 2018-19 season. The Bucks posted an NBA-best 60-22 record that season before blowing a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals to the eventual champion Toronto Raptors.
Jenkins would be taking over a Bucks team that is entering a critical summer after going 32-50 this season, ending a streak of nine straight playoff appearances.
The Bucks announced Rivers' departure as coach on April 13, the day after their season ended. The 64-year-old Rivers had mentioned during the final stages of the season that he wanted to spend more time with his grandchildren.
Rivers went 97-103 in 2 1/2 seasons with the Bucks. He owns a 1,194-866 overall record and ranks sixth in NBA career coaching wins.
Milwaukee's main offseason concern regards the future of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has spent his entire 13-season NBA career with the Bucks.
Antetokounmpo, 31, is eligible to become a free agent after next season if he doesn't sign a four-year, $275 million contract extension in October. Or the Bucks could trade him beforehand if they don't believe he will sign that extension.
Antetokounmpo was asked after the Bucks’ season finale whether he’d sign an extension.
“It’s something I have to sit down with my family and see what’s best for me, what’s best for my family,” he replied.
By the end of the season, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks were at odds over the nine-time All-NBA forward's health status. Antetokounmpo played a career-low 36 games this season.
Antetokounmpo said late in the season that he wanted to play and was healthy enough to do so, while the Bucks were ruling him out due to a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise. The NBA was investigating the matter.
Jenkins worked with Antetokounmpo during his earlier stint with the Bucks. He had been on Budenholzer's staffs both in Atlanta and Milwaukee before the Grizzlies hired him in 2019, the same year they selected Ja Morant with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft.
Memphis reached the second round of the playoffs under Jenkins in 2022 and lost in the first round in 2021 and 2023. Jenkins' 250 career coaching wins with the Grizzlies are the most in franchise history.
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AP Pro Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report.
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