Bucks introduce Taylor Jenkins, vague on plans for Giannis.

Alright, if you’re a Bucks fan, there is a LOT to unpack from the Taylor Jenkins press conference at the Milwaukee Art Museum yesterday. Like, coming back from a semester abroad unpack. Let’s first go over some non-Giannis things:

• Taylor Jenkins’ demeanor and cadence was EXACTLY what I wanted yesterday. As we’ve been over on the podcast, this was the most logical hire the Bucks could have made. He’s got the rare combination of experience and youth, he speaks to stability, culture, and having a clear plan moving forward. And a ‘clear plan’ is not something this organization has had since Bud was fired at the end of 2023. Kind of like me driving to places pre-GPS, the Bucks felt like they were wandering around aimlessly trying to find their destination. Regardless of the whether or not Giannis is here, Jenkins made me feel like they have an idea of what they want to accomplish, and how they plan to do it.
• I think he’s been a ‘fine’ GM, but Jon Horst in these scenarios always looks like the person in class who is desperately trying to not get asked a question. He just sort of has that bewilderment in his eyes. Like you’re doing popcorn reading in 5th grade and he’s on edge because he never knows when it’s his turn.
• I don’t think it’s an accident that Jimmy Haslam was the front facing owner yesterday. Wes Edens has the governorship (ELLO GOV’NOR!) until 2028, but in the last year it’s been clear that Haslam is gaining more and more power. He bought up Marc Lasry’s stock when Lasry sold in 2023, but we barely heard a peep from him until the last 2-3 months. It sounds like Jenkins is making a pretty penny on this contract (north of $10 million a season, more than Doc), and with Wes Edens dealing with some money issues, my guess is that it was Haslam’s massive wealth* that made this move possible.

Now, as expected, Giannis questions dominated the assembled media Q&A:

• Jon Horst said that Giannis was not involved in the hiring process as it related to Jenkins.

• Jenkins said he has had conversations with Giannis since he’s was hired and it has been, “great communication.”
• Jimmy Haslam echoed that the organization is constantly in contact with Giannis, and in the video attached above, expressed hope that they have a resolution on Giannis’ plans/desires before the NBA Draft.

This brings up an interesting timeline: The Draft Lottery is this Sunday, and barring some kind of David Stern “refrigerated lotto ball” situation, the Bucks are likely to have the #9 or #10 overall pick in what is considered to be a LOADED draft. So loaded that even with how poorly the Bucks have drafted since Giannis in 2013, they should be able to find a very good player with that pick. This is a, ‘hit water from a boat’ situation.

Now for the obvious reasons that Haslam states, the Bucks would love to know where Giannis stands prior to the draft. If you have Giannis, you might be more inclined to package this year’s pick with something else in order to bring a superstar(ish) player in to pair with Giannis next season. If Giannis is out and you’re rebuilding, no doubt you just make the pick and use all of the assets you would get for Giannis to lay the foundation for post-Giannis life.

Here’s the rub, bub: *TECHNICALLY* the Bucks can’t even offer Giannis that contract until October 1st. And Giannis may take the approach of, ‘let’s just see what they do with that pick, and any other moves they make during the offseason (they actually DO have money to spend), and then I’ll decide if that is appealing enough to sign the contract.”

So a bit of a crossroads, if you will.

I’m still of the opinion that Giannis stays, and I’m still of that opinion because ONLY the Bucks can offer him that 4 year, $275 million dollar deal on October 1st. Any other team would have to wait until April to make the same offer. Now let’s be honest: Giannis is going to be 32, and the injuries are piling up. This is probably the last $275 million dollar deal that is ever going to be in front of him, and if he risks playing on the final year of his deal elsewhere, he’s a torn Achilles or bad knee injury away from never seeing that money again.

Related: I know they claimed otherwise yesterday, but I don’t think Taylor Jenkins comes here without some idea that Giannis is staying. He was going to be the biggest name in this coaching cycle, and if Giannis is out the door, he could have waited to see what other (read: better) options would have been available. He was going to get a big contract either way.

So now we wait, and for the first time in a long time, Bucks fans are locked and loaded for the Draft Lottery this weekend. For most of my life, that was the biggest day of the year for us!

*The yin and the yang of life with Jimmy Haslam. He makes HORRIBLE personnel decisions, but he is never afraid to throw buckets of money at a problem.

PS: I’ll grant the people who think Giannis is leaving this, his interview with Jim Owczarski in the Journal Sentinel yesterday was not ideal for people like me who think he’s staying:

Saying, ‘they,’ instead of ‘we,’ ain’t great. I stand by my stance but this was suboptimal.