In December, the Milwaukee Bucks fired Jason Kidd, leaving them with Joe Prunty as interim head coach. According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the Bucks have a list of candidates:
There’s a belief out there that the Bucks’ ownership, heading into a new building next season, wants to make the biggest splash it can manage. It’s a greater given that there will be no shortage of external interest in the job, whatever holes this roster sports, thanks to the presence of the superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Current TV analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Kevin McHale, league sources say, are among the marquee names that can already be found on the Bucks’ list of candidates. The former New Orleans coach Monty Williams and Fizdale have also been mentioned as likely candidates — and word is that even former Louisville coach Rick Pitino could get an exploratory look here.
Those are all big names, and all would likely be excellent choices, perhaps with the exception of Pitino.
Van Gundy, now a broadcaster, has long been a sought-after head-coaching candidate. He has served as head coach for the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks, but hasn’t coached in the NBA since 2007. He did coach Team USA to a gold medal at the 2017 AmeriCup tournament, and will coach in the qualifiers for the 2019 FIBA World Cup.
McHale, in his playing days, was one of the greatest bigs of all time. After playing, he coached the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2005 and then again in 2008-09, and coached the Rockets from 2011-2015.
Williams coached the New Orleans Hornets (and then Pelicans) from 2010 to 2015, and served as an assistant with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2015-16. He left the Thunder after his wife, Ingrid, was tragically killed in a car crash in 2016. Currently, Williams serves as vice president of basketball operations for the San Antonio Spurs.
Fizdale was fired by the Memphis Grizzlies in November, to the outrage of many.
Pitino is head coach of the Louisville Cardinals, and has been since 2001. He has coached in the NBA before (with the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics) but wasn’t tremendously successful.
