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So with that being said, Taylor Jenkins, your new head coach — what kind of conversations have you had with him? How have you been able to get a relationship with him going so far?” Ryan Rollins: “Yeah, I mean, I haven’t called him, but I have texted him a couple times, too, just congratulating him and his family. It’s a good situation that we’re coming into, having a new head coach. I don’t know all that’s going to be switched around by the time next season comes, but I’m just ready to come in and make an impact, continue the growth, build a culture, and build a winning foundation. You know what I mean? That’s really what I’m keyed in on and ready for next season.”
Per league sources, new Bucks coach Taylor Jenkins signed a long-term deal with a salary that is well north of $10 million annually. Jenkins isn’t the highest-paid coach in the league, as that honor goes to Golden State’s Steve Kerr at $17.5 million annually (for now, as he continues to contemplate whether to return). Miami’s Erik Spoelstra is second (approximately $15 million). And Jenkins, the former Memphis Grizzlies coach who was once a Bucks assistant in Antetokounmpo’s early days, is up there now.
Eric Nehm: The Bucks have made the hiring of Taylor Jenkins official. The introductory press conference will be next Wednesday at 2 p.m. at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Here is the press release:
Despite not having significant draft capital to acquire Antetokounmpo after making the Bane trade, Orlando has talented young players in former No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero and Wagner. Black also took a step in his development this season. Each player could have appealed to Milwaukee on paper, but it’s unclear how far the talks progressed between both sides. Ultimately, the Bucks kept Antetokounmpo despite various interest in him from across the league. They’ve since hired Taylor Jenkins, who was an assistant coach under Mike Budenholzer when the Bucks won 60 games and advanced to the 2019 Eastern Conference Finals. It’s worth noting that Antetokounmpo and Jenkins are said to have a good relationship, according to league sources.
Oh No He Didn't: Shams: "I'm not aware of any involvement from Giannis in this search process. This was something that the Bucks genuinely led...my understanding is that there's been zero communication between these two sides since the deadline as far as Giannis and the organization's top brass"
Shams:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) April 23, 2026
"I'm not aware of any involvement from Giannis in this search process. This was something that the Bucks genuinely led...my understanding is that there's been zero communication between these two sides since the deadline as far as Giannis and the organization's top brass" pic.twitter.com/yKa61BPE1u
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Shams Charania: BREAKING: The Milwaukee Bucks and Taylor Jenkins are finalizing a deal to make Jenkins the franchise's new head coach, sources tell me and @ramonashelburne. Jenkins, a Bucks assistant in 2018-19, went 250-214 and made three postseasons across six seasons in Memphis.
The Milwaukee Bucks have registered serious interest in Taylor Jenkins to be their next head coach, league sources tell The Athletic. Team owners Wes Edens and Jimmy Haslam and general manager Jon Horst made their way to Memphis, where the former Grizzlies head coach still resides with his family, early last week to discuss their head coach opening and a vision for the future with Jenkins in Milwaukee, those sources said.
Jenkins, meanwhile, has been floated as a potential candidate in Washington and Orlando as well — depending on what those Southeast Division teams decide for next season on the coaching front — after Jenkins’ full-season respite from the grind after his ouster in Memphis.
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No wonder, then, that we're hearing Milwaukee plans to a cast a wide net in search of its successor to Rivers. Sources reaffirm what The Stein Line has already written — former Bucks assistant coach Taylor Jenkins and current Bucks assistant Darvin Ham -- are certain candidates for the post, yet I've also been told that Horst has been assembling a candidates list that features a varied cross-section of names, archetypes and experience levels.
Should Orlando move on from Mosley, keep an eye on veteran free agent coaches Taylor Jenkins and Tom Thibodeau drawing interest. Another name to monitor would be Bulls coach Billy Donovan, who will have the option to remain with Chicago or pursue another coaching position. It’s also worth noting that former Magic assistant coach James Borrego, who’s currently the interim head coach for the New Orleans Pelicans, will also be available this summer. Lastly, prior to Michael Malone accepting the North Carolina head coaching job, many within league circles believed he was a coaching candidate for Orlando if the franchise pivoted away from Mosley after its season concluded.
The growing expectation within league circles is that Doc Rivers won’t be Milwaukee's head coach next season. Instead, there’s a belief that Rivers could pivot to an undetermined role in Milwaukee’s front office. As for potential coaching candidates, the Bucks have an internal candidate in Darvin Ham who will also be sought after by the Pelicans, according to league sources, this summer. Taylor Jenkins will almost assuredly draw interest from Milwaukee if their head coaching job becomes available. Jenkins will arguably be the most sought-after coach on the market and was previously an assistant coach under Mike Budenholzer when the Bucks advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2019. Another name to potentially consider is Pelicans interim head coach James Borrego, who previously interviewed for Milwaukee’s head coaching job when Adrian Griffin was hired, and will also be available this summer.
There have also been whispers for months that Washington would have strong interest in Taylor Jenkins if the Wizards decide to move on from Brian Keefe. Yet there has likewise been recent pushback emanating from the nation's capital to suggest that the Wizards are still deciding whether to keep Keefe in place for what would be his fourth season. "It's very difficult for any young coach to survive a yearslong rebuild and [then] oversee a dramatic cultural shift of losing to competing," one general manager told The Stein Line.