Ham in Bucks mix

The Milwaukee Bucks are giving Darvin Ham a real look in their search for a new head coach, with multiple reports listing him among the early candidates. (hoopsrumors.com) Milwaukee opened the job after Doc Rivers stepped down on April 14, days after the Bucks finished 32-50 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016. (sports.yahoo.com) Jake Fischer reported that Bucks general manager Jon Horst has started contacting agents and is running a wide search, with former Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins and Bucks assistant Ham both in the mix. (hoopsrumors.com) Ham is not an outside flyer for Milwaukee. He was Mike Budenholzer’s top assistant on the Bucks’ 2021 championship staff before the Los Angeles Lakers hired him as head coach in 2022. (nba.com) The Bucks’ search comes with more uncertainty than a normal contender opening. Fischer reported that candidates may not know what next season’s roster will look like until summer because Giannis Antetokounmpo’s situation is still unresolved. (hoopsrumors.com) That makes Ham’s candidacy part of a wider offseason shuffle. Milwaukee is weighing a former Bucks assistant who already knows the building, while also considering coaches such as Jenkins as teams across the league sort through openings and roster questions. (clutchpoints.com) Horst’s role matters here too. His contract runs through the 2027-28 season, and Fischer reported that early signs around the league point to him staying in place to lead the hire despite scrutiny after Milwaukee’s losing season. (hoopsrumors.com) Milwaukee’s last two coaching hires were shaped by forces outside a standard front-office process: Adrian Griffin was widely viewed as Giannis Antetokounmpo’s preferred choice in 2023, and Rivers was described by Fischer as an ownership pick. (hoopsrumors.com) Ham’s Lakers tenure ended in May 2024 after two playoff appearances in two seasons, and he returned to Milwaukee as Rivers’ top assistant before re-emerging as a head-coach candidate this month. (espn.com ) The next step is interviews, but the early shape of Milwaukee’s search is already clear: Ham is not a courtesy name. He is one of the coaches the Bucks appear prepared to consider seriously. (hoopsrumors.com)