There was a chance that Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst was going to leave for the Detroit Pistons this offseason, but that did not occur. Horst has received a ton of backlash from the fanbase this offseason. Many fans thought he did not address the 2024 NBA Draft well.
For the last two seasons, the Bucks didn’t get past the first round of the NBA Playoffs. If it occurs again for the 2024-2025 season, it feels like massive changes could be on the horizon.
Milwaukee Bucks General Manager Jon Horst Is On the Hot Seat Entering the 2024-2025 NBA Season
There is no question that the Bucks general manager is on the hot seat entering the 2024-2025 season. According to Brian Sampson of forbes.com, he believes that Horst is one of three people within the Bucks organization who is on thin ice entering the 2024-2025 season. Sampson said:
“Bucks general manager Jon Horst has bet big—like, “pushed all his chips to the middle of the table” big.
For starters, he’s now on his third head coach in a little over a year, with Doc Rivers taking the reins. If Rivers doesn’t pan out, ownership might not be so willing to foot the bill for a fourth coach.
It’s not just the coaching carousel either; Horst has mortgaged much of the Bucks’ future to assemble this roster. The draft picks are gone and the flexibility has shrunk.
This season is critical for Horst’s legacy.
If the Bucks finally get over the hump and win another championship, he’ll be celebrated as a visionary who brought a second title to Milwaukee. If they flame out again, history might not be so kind. The clock is ticking, and Horst needs this team to deliver, or the golden era of Bucks basketball might be remembered as more bronze than gold.”
It feels like the Milwaukee Bucks have taken a step backward since winning the 2020-2021 NBA title against the Phoenix Suns in six games. Milwaukee trailed that series against Phoenix 0-2 and everyone remembers the 50-point performance in Game 6 of that series by Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Critical Moves He Made This Offseason
The 2024 NBA Draft is where fans lost patience with Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst. They took a massive swing on A.J. Johnson with the 23rd overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Milwaukee needed a player who could help the team now and Johnson may not crack the roster this season.
Tyler Smith was the 33rd overall pick (second-round selection) from the G-League Ignite. Smith could also start the season not on the Bucks roster. Horst also signed Tauren Prince, Gary Trent Jr., and Delon Wright. Malik Beasley and Patrick Beverley were not re-signed this offseason by Milwaukee.
There were also rumors that Khris Middleton, Pat Connaughton, Brook Lopez, or Bobby Portis Jr. could have been traded in the offseason for the Milwaukee Bucks and they were not traded. The Bucks also did not find a Lopez replacement in the 2024 NBA Draft. General manager Jon Horst decided not to trade any of these players. This will either help him this season or backfire on him.
For More Great Wisconsin Sports Content
Follow me on Twitter (X) @glennkaplan13 and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on all things Wisconsin sports, click here
