Bucks reportedly have interest in Heat Assistant
The Milwaukee Bucks and their coaching search are starting to heat up. According to reports, the team has received permission to interview top Miami Heat Assistant Chris Quinn.
Related: Bucks Receive Permission to interview top Heat Assistant
It doesn’t take a die hard NBA scout to see the success the Miami Heat are having in this year’s NBA playoffs. After having knocked out the Milwaukee Bucks, the franchise might have a “can’t beat em, join em’” mentality when it comes to their coaching search and Heat coach Eric Spoelstra.
Spoelstra’s right hand man appears to be current Heat assistant Chris Quinn.
Who is Chris Quinn?
Chris Quinn, 39 years old, has been a key-Heat assistant for the past nine seasons. It is no wonder he is on so many team’s radar as a possible Head Coaching candidate.
The former Notre Dame alumni played in the NBA for six years before becoming a coach. He played in 168 games, mostly for the Heat. In his time at Notre Dame he also was an academic All American, a high honor and a clear intelligence marker. Quinn played point guard for the Irish. He ended his professional career in Europe.
Quinn is originally from Ohio.
Related: 2 Reasons the Bucks won’t hire Nick Nurse: And one reason they should
Why Haven’t the Bucks just hired Charles Lee?
Charles Lee might be the frontrunner, but he certainly could have been hired already had the Bucks felt the need to pull the trigger and get him off the market. Lee is thought to be a front runner for the open Detroit Pistons job. After watching Darvin Ham and Taylor Jenkins have success in the NBA, maybe Bucks management is envious of the success of other Budenholzer assistants. Charles Lee is certainly ready to be a head coach. And similar to Nick Nurse (who was an assistant for five years in Toronto before he became head coach) Lee has paid his dues.
Lee might also have the ear of the Giannis camp.
Lee is 38. He also has professional hoops experience. He played in the summer league and in the preseason with the Spurs before he was cut. He then went on to have some success playing professionally in Europe.
What’s Next?
With new ownership having arrived, Brook Lopez (FA), Joe Ingles (FA), Jae Crowder (FA), Wesley Matthews (FA) and Khris Middleton (player option) available to leave, the Bucks off seasons and future feel as “murky” as it has ever felt. Milwaukee will certainly have some very different players next season. One persistent rumor seems to be that Milwaukee might go all-in and grab Damian Lillard.
For the Bucks, this would be the ultimate “all-in”. You’d have to hope, above all hopes, that Damian Lillard, paired with Giannis, would take Milwaukee to another NBA Championship.
With so many possible coaching candidates out there, it seems like the Bucks are taking their time to get this right. Of course, whoever the coach ends up being, he’ll have veteran superstars at his or her disposal. And that coach will have the pressure of a fan base that is still sitting and wondering “what might have been?”
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