Ranking The Candidates Thus Far
1. Taylor Jenkins
Taylor Jenkins makes a lot of sense for the Bucks. He did a solid job in his six seasons with Memphis, dealing with a rebuild and Ja Morant. He had a 250-214 record with the Grizzlies, with four winning seasons and three playoff appearances, going 9-16 in the postseason.
Jenkins is familiar with Milwaukee’s organization, serving as an assistant during the 2018-19 season. The Bucks won 60 games that year and reached the Eastern Conference finals. He is also known for being a capable developer of young talent, a strong locker room presence, and modern schemes.
Jenkins is known as a defensive coach whose teams play hard and thrive on creating turnovers. The Grizzlies finished ranked in the top-10 in defensive rating in three of the 41-year-old’s six campaigns in Memphis. However, there are questions regarding his half-court offense and in-game adjustments.
2. Darvin Ham, Bucks Assistant
Ham does have head coaching experience, posting a 90-74 record with the Lakers from 2022-24. Ham guided the Lakers to two playoff appearances, including a Western Conference finals appearance in 2023. The 52-year-old is also extremely familiar with the Bucks organization, having spent three years in Milwaukee as a player and six of the last eight seasons with the team.
Ham is known for his leadership and communication ability as a defensive coach. His teams generally play with physicality at the point of attack, emphasizing rim protection. He also gets high marks for player development and locker room management. Additionally, he has won championships as a player and assistant.
However, Ham has struggled with overly rigid schemes and inconsistent rotations, leading to frequent lineup changes. His teams have struggled offensively, and he is not the greatest at in-game adjustments.
3. Chris Quinn, Heat Assistant
Quinn played six seasons in the NBA and has been mentioned for several head coaching jobs in the past. The 42-year-old has been on Erik Spoelstra’s staff since 2014, specializing in player development in his first six years. He is also known for being a strong communicator and a defensive coach who was promoted to associate head coach by Spoelstra at the beginning of the 2025-26 season.
4. Sam Cassell, Celtics Assistant
Cassell is an NBA lifter, having played 15 seasons in the Association, including four years with the Bucks. He has been an assistant coach since retiring as a player in 2008. He has four NBA championship rings and is known for developing guards and for his strong communication skills. The 56-year-old has been a head coaching candidate for the past several years.
5. Micah Nori, Timberwolves Assistant
Nori was one of the hottest coaching candidates last season, along with Quinn. Nori, who has been an assistant coach since 2009, does have head coaching experience on an interim basis — the Timberwolves reached the 2024 Western Finals with him at the helm, going 9-7 in the playoffs. He is known as a modern offensive guru specializing in tactical sharpness, communication, and adaptability.
6. Tom Thibodeau
Thibs is an NBA lifer with extensive head-coaching experience. In 13 campaigns as a head coach, the 68-year-old owns a 578-420 record overall and a 48-55 mark in the playoff contests. He has led his teams to two conference finals.
While Thibodeau is a long-shot to get the Bucks job, he is expected to be a candidate when several other jobs open up, he would provide the Bucks with a defensive identity. Thibs is a highly structured coach who demands accountability. He also has a reputation for elevating role players.
