The Milwaukee Bucks fired first-year head coach Adrian Griffin on Tuesday after simply 43 video games into the 2023-24 NBA season. “This was a tough determination to make in the course of the season,” mentioned Bucks normal supervisor Jon Horst in an announcement.
“We’re working instantly towards hiring our subsequent head coach. We thank Coach Griffin for his laborious work and contributions to the group.”
It’s one of many shortest teaching tenures in NBA historical past — becoming a member of Rudy Tomjanovich (43 video games with the 2004-05 Lakers), Bob Weiss (30 video games with the 2005-06 Sonics), and Jerry Tarkanian (20 video games with the 1992-93 Spurs).
A number of Bucks veterans, together with Giannis Antetokounmpo, reportedly had misplaced religion in Griffin’s capability to educate the group. Griffin, 49, is grateful to have had the prospect to educate Milwaukee.
The Milwaukee Bucks have dismissed head coach Adrian Griffin. pic.twitter.com/6PUgCnyuIi
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 23, 2024
“I recognize the chance the Bucks gave me. You may’t management all the pieces. And I be ok with the job we did,” Griffin informed Bleacher Report in a cellphone interview.
“I recognize my teaching workers for all their laborious work. I all the time needed to be a head coach on this league. And I couldn’t have requested for a greater roster. I bought to educate Giannis, Dame, Khris, Brook. Dream come true. Hopefully, I get one other shot at it. However total, I’m simply grateful.”
Veteran assistant Joe Prunty will take over as interim coach. Horst will converse at a information convention Wednesday, previous to the Bucks’ subsequent house sport towards the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Milwaukee plans to pursue ex-Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers, in response to studies. Rivers, 62, was employed as an ESPN analyst in Could 2023 after getting fired by the Sixers. The 2008 NBA champion started to function an off-the-cuff guide to Griffin, as requested by the Bucks.
Milwaukee Bucks hearth Adrian Griffin, will doubtless pursue veteran coach-turned-analyst Doc Rivers
The Bucks employed Adrian Griffin in the course of the offseason to switch longtime coach Mike Budenholzer, who was fired after Milwaukee’s first-round exit to the Miami Warmth final postseason.
In September, the Bucks acquired Damian Lillard from the Portland Path Blazers in a three-team take care of the Phoenix Suns. Portland acquired Deandre Ayton, Jrue Vacation, Toumani Camara, a 2029 unprotected first-round draft choose, and unprotected Milwaukee swap rights in 2028 and 2030.
Phoenix landed Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little, and Keon Johnson. In October, the Boston Celtics then traded Robert Williams III and Malcolm Brogdon to Portland for Vacation. The Blazers additionally acquired a 2024 first-round choose by way of Golden State and a 2029 first-round choose.
Opposite to what Milwaukee’s file exhibits, the contender has underperformed this season. The Bucks are 30-13 (.698) and entered Tuesday night time’s sport ranked No. 2 within the Japanese Convention.
Adrian Griffin informed Bucks stars that “sacrifice was required” throughout an airing-out session after shedding to Pacers within the In-Season Event, per @ChrisBHaynes
Griffin “misplaced the locker room” over time and the Bucks entrance workplace believed a change was essential pic.twitter.com/Q9WiYTi6NT
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 24, 2024
Milwaukee’s .698 win proportion is one of the best for a group that fired its head coach throughout a season since David Blatt’s 30-11 (.732) file with the Cavaliers in 2015-16.
Furthermore, the Bucks’ protection has been particularly disappointing this season. Milwaukee dropped from 14th in opponents’ factors per sport final season (113.9 PPG) to twenty fifth this 12 months, permitting 120.5 factors per sport. The membership surrendered 135 and 113 factors in back-to-back video games towards the Detroit Pistons.
Following Milwaukee’s 128-119 loss to the Indiana Pacers within the NBA In-Season Event on Dec. 7, Griffin referred to as a gathering with Antetokounmpo, Lillard, Brook Lopez, and Khris Middleton.
Throughout this unique convention, all 4 gamers opened up on what wasn’t working together with which gamers weren’t being utilized on the group, per Bleacher Report. Griffin had “misplaced the locker room.”
Griffin had spent 16 seasons as an NBA assistant, together with the previous 5 with the Toronto Raptors. His determination to pursue teaching adopted a nine-year NBA taking part in profession.
Milwaukee is 5-6 thus far in January.
