Bucks finalizing deal to hire Taylor Jenkins as head coach: Sources

The Milwaukee Bucks are on the verge of finalizing a coaching agreement with Taylor Jenkins, as league sources have informed The Athletic.

Jenkins, who is 41 years old, served as the head coach for the Memphis Grizzlies from 2019 to 2025, guiding them to the playoffs in four of his six seasons at the helm.

According to league sources who spoke with The Athletic, this deal follows an aggressive effort by the organization to secure a premier coaching talent before other teams, eliminated from the postseason, could join the pursuit. As initially reported by The Athletic, Bucks general manager Jon Horst, alongside primary owners Wes Edens and Jimmy Haslam, traveled to Memphis early last week to express their interest in bringing Jenkins to Milwaukee.

During his tenure in Memphis, Jenkins achieved a 54 percent winning record. His most successful season was 2021-22, when Memphis matched a franchise record with 56 regular-season wins and also secured its first playoff series victory since 2015.

Prior to his head coaching role, Jenkins was an assistant coach for the Bucks under Mike Budenholzer during the 2018-19 season. He also worked with Budenholzer in Atlanta from 2013 to 2018.

Jenkins was not coaching the Grizzlies during the last of those four playoff appearances, having been dismissed by the organization with nine games left in the 2024-25 season. His replacement was Tuomas Iisalo, one of the assistant coaches Jenkins was asked to hire before the season began. In his most successful season with Memphis, the Grizzlies ranked among the top five in both offensive and defensive efficiency, according to Cleaning the Glass.

However, Jenkins’ teams were predominantly known for their defensive prowess. While elite defense requires the right players, Jenkins masterfully utilized the Grizzlies’ roster to construct one of the NBA’s most formidable defenses.

Jenkins’ defensive scheme successfully maximized Jaren Jackson Jr.’s versatility and shot-blocking prowess, effectively guarding the rim. Under Jenkins, Jackson led the league in blocks per game twice and was named Defensive Player of the Year in the 2022-23 season.

Memphis’ defense also excelled at preventing corner 3-pointers, ranking in the bottom 10 for corner 3 frequency in five of Jenkins’ six seasons. Additionally, they were adept at forcing turnovers, finishing in the top 10 in turnover rate in four of his six seasons.

Excluding the 2023-24 season, where Grizzlies star Ja Morant played only nine games, Memphis consistently boasted an above-average offense under Jenkins, achieving top-10 offensive efficiency twice during his tenure.

Jenkins was among the initial coaches to highlight the importance of winning the possession battle, a strategic trend now widely adopted by others. Despite frequently ranking in the bottom 10 for effective field-goal percentage, Memphis managed to achieve impressive offensive efficiency by relentlessly crashing the offensive boards. The Grizzlies led the NBA in offensive rebounding in 2021-22, according to Cleaning the Glass, and ranked in the top five in this category in four of Jenkins’ six seasons.

With the Bucks acknowledging they might explore trading Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason, securing a coach with a robust strategic approach was crucial. During his time in Memphis, Jenkins demonstrated his ability to develop tactics tailored to his specific roster. He will need to replicate this in Milwaukee to rejuvenate a team that finished last season 22nd in points scored and 27th in points allowed per 100 possessions.