While most people were surprised by the Milwaukee Bucks’ decision to terminate head coach Adrian Griffin, the truth is that this move has been in the works for quite some time. This was far from a knee-jerk reaction by the front staff; after all, the club is coming off back-to-back victories and still has the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.
This was a conscious choice by the Bucks as they consider the rest of the season and, of course, their championship hopes for this year. It was a well-thought-out procedure, including the following step in terms of Griffin’s succession.
Milwaukee Bucks Announce Adrian Griffin’s Successor
The Bucks confirmed the firing of Griffin via an official statement on Twitter. In it, general manager Jon Horst revealed that it was a difficult decision from the front office, but that they remain extremely thankful to Griffin and all that he has done in his brief tenure as head coach.
It was also announced in the statement that assistant coach Joe Prunty will now take over the helm amid Griffin’s exit.
The 54-year-old has a ton of experience under his belt. Prunty has been an assistant in the league since 1996 when he started his NBA career under the tutelage of the great Gregg Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs.
Prunty has also had stints with the Dallas Mavericks, the Portland Trail Blazers, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Brooklyn Nets, the Phoenix Suns, and the Atlanta Hawks.
Prunty joined the Bucks this season as an assistant to Griffin. This is his second stint in Milwaukee after serving as an assistant coach under Jason Kidd between 2014 and 2018. When Kidd was fired, Prunty was promoted as the team’s interim head coach.
It is worth noting that Prunty will also serve as the Bucks head coach in an interim capacity. The team is now searching for their next head coach and until they are able to do so, Prunty will serve as a temporary caretaker of the squad.
