Doc Rivers Is The Top Candidate To Be The Head Coach Of The Milwaukee Bucks
Doc Rivers Is The Top Candidate To Be The Head Coach Of The Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks fired head coach Adrian Griffin in a shocking move earlier today. Now, the team has shifted towards finding his successor. As it stands, Doc Rivers has become the leading candidate for the position.
The Bucks are reportedly trying to fill their head coaching position as soon as possible. The sides have not talked yet, but they undeniably will come to a decision rather quickly.
“Doc Rivers is the leader to become new head coach of the Bucks and the sides are working toward a deal, league sources say.”
Shams Charania reported after Adrian Griffin was fired
The Bucks currently find themselves at second in the Eastern Conference standings. Ultimately, the team didn’t think that Griffin was able to cut it. With a superstar pairing of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, it is a championship-or-bust type of season.
Veteran assistant Joe Prunty will take over as interim coach as the team searches for a permanent head coaching candidate.
“We are working immediately toward hiring our next head coach. We thank Coach Griffin for his hard work and contributions to the team.”
Milwaukee Bucks General Manager Jon Horst said
Although the Bucks are still off to a great start, they have had their fair share of struggles along the way. As teams gear up for the second half of their season, moving on from their head coach is a massive move. Regardless of who the Bucks hire, they should still remain high on the list of contenders this season.
While Rivers isn’t a lock to become their next head coach, it seems as though he is the top candidate in the coaching race. Rivers will look to get redemption from his disappointing ending with the Philadelphia 76ers last year.
This article first appeared on Sideline Sources and was syndicated with permission.
More must-reads:
The Suns are beginning to look like title contenders
Four Washington Wizards who could be moved next
The ‘Second-leading scorer from the NBA champs’ quiz
Promoted Content
Try It Tonight — Pain In Your Joints Will Vanish Once And For All
Motion Free
Prostatitis Symptoms? They Will Be Gone In 3 Days!
Xenoprost
Three Signs Of An Approaching Stroke. Read More
Vascular Health
Prostatitis Disappears In 3 Days. Write Down This Recipe
Xenoprost
Reduce Fat With Laser Liposuction: See Prices 2023
Search Ads
4 Plants That Instantly Penetrate The Joints And Repair Them!
Motion Free
The Philadelphia Eagles seemingly are moving forward with Nick Sirianni as their head coach following the club’s collapse during the second half of this season, but Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio mentioned that Philadelphia theoretically can afford to move on from quarterback Jalen Hurts this offseason. Hurts signed a five-year contract extension reportedly worth up to $255M with $179.3M guaranteed last spring. “The cap hit for a pre-June 1 trade would be only $18.632M for 2024,” Florio wrote about the Eagles shipping Hurts out of Philadelphia. “He’d then be off the books for 2025.” Hurts’ agreement also carries a full no-trade clause. According to ESPN stats, Hurts finished the 2023 regular season ranked 12th among qualified players with a 60.0 adjusted QBR, 15th with a 65.4% completion percentage and tied for 13th with 23 passing touchdowns. While he was also tied for second among all players with 15 rushing scores, only two quarterbacks tossed more interceptions than Hurts (15). Hurts’ numbers tell only a portion of the story regarding why the Eagles could at least consider asking if he’d waive his no-trade clause to join a different club. Per Paul Kasabian of Bleacher Report, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported shortly ahead of Christmas that some within the Eagles felt the club needed Hurts “to not isolate himself as much when a more outward leadership style is necessary, especially when the going gets tough.” More recently, Joseph Santoliquito of Bleeding Green Nation wrote this past weekend that “sources within and around the team say Jalen Hurts ‘changed’ since signing the big $255M contract extension.” Santoliquito added that “sources close to and around the team say Hurts should have been a better leader — and is capable of being a better leader.” As it pertains to any club potentially interested in acquiring Hurts, Florio noted that the 25-year-old’s contract includes $82M in fully guaranteed money over the next two years and $133M over the next three. Such figures aren’t deal-breakers in a world where it’s commonly joked that the NFL salary cap isn’t as “real” as many believe it to be. While there’s currently zero indication the Eagles would try to move on from Hurts before this year’s draft, things often change quickly in the NFL. Less than two years ago, the Cleveland Browns reportedly had no chance of landing quarterback Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans until a fully guaranteed five-year, $230M contract helped change his mind.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is perhaps the most intriguing free agent hitting the market this offseason after his stellar 2023 season was cut short due to an Achilles tear. At the time of his injury, Cousins ranked second in the NFL in passing yards (2,331) and was tied for the lead in touchdown passes (18) while throwing just five interceptions. Nevertheless, since Cousins turns 36 in August and is coming off one of the most significant injuries an athlete can suffer, there’s no guarantee he’ll finish out his career in Minnesota. Should Cousins leave the Vikings, here are four teams that could be a fit for the four-time Pro Bowler. Atlanta Falcons After posting six consecutive losing seasons, the Falcons are entering a pivotal offseason, and one of their major changes may turn out to be hiring former Patriots HC Bill Belichick. Due to the buzz surrounding Belichick potentially heading to Atlanta, Cousins was recently asked by CBS Sports’ Isabel Gonzalez whether he’d ever play for the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach and didn’t rule out the possibility. “I’m not going to turn down an opportunity to play with a future Hall of Fame coach,” Cousins said last week. “But we’ll have to see where March leads. There’s just a lot of unknowns right now.” With an array of talented offensive weapons coupled with a solid defense, the Falcons could finally clinch their first NFC South title since 2016 if they sign Cousins and he returns to form. After all, the team lost six one-possession games this season with underwhelming options Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke at quarterback. Las Vegas Raiders Last week, the Raiders correctly chose to remove the interim tag and hire Antonio Pierce as their head coach. Under Pierce, the Raiders’ defense became one of the NFL’s top units, allowing the fewest points per game (16) and scoring the most defensive touchdowns (four). However, the offense was inconsistent with rookie fourth-rounder Aidan O’Connell at quarterback, and Las Vegas would be foolish not to upgrade the position this offseason. Even so, since the Raiders hold the 13th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, it might be difficult for them to land a long-term answer at the position this offseason. Yet, by signing Cousins to lead a roster filled with talented veterans, the Raiders could compete for a wild-card spot for the foreseeable future. It also doesn’t hurt that Cousins already has the support of his would-be No. 1 target in WR Davante Adams, who named the impending free agent his top quarterback, not named Aaron Rodgers, he’d like to play with. Owner Mark Davis listened to the input of his players when hiring Pierce; perhaps he’ll do the same with Cousins. New England Patriots Although New England could easily address the quarterback position by selecting one with the third overall pick in April’s draft, it doesn’t exactly have the ideal personnel to support a rookie. What the Patriots do have is the fourth-most projected cap space in the NFL ($66.1M), which new HC Jerod Mayo says they’re “ready to burn.” Cousins likely won’t come cheap in terms of his upcoming contract’s average annual value, but it’s hard to imagine he’d sign a deal that would last longer than three seasons. Pro Football Focus projects Cousins to ink a two-year, $60M contract with $37.5M guaranteed in free agency. Signing Cousins to this type of deal would be relatively low risk for the Patriots and provide them with flexibility on what to do with their quarterback situation in the future. This scenario could also open the door for New England to select Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., one of the best wide receiver prospects to ever enter the NFL Draft. Cousins helped superstar WR Justin Jefferson become a second-team All-Pro selection as a rookie. Who’s to say Harrison couldn’t have similar results if he were catching passes from the veteran signal-caller? Pittsburgh Steelers Considering the Steelers stuck with QB Mason Rudolph for their run to the playoffs while Kenny Pickett was healthy, it’s safe to say the 2022 first-rounder’s days in Pittsburgh are numbered. Assuming Cousins is healthy enough to replicate the success he had this season in 2024, there might not be a team whose ceiling he can raise as high as Pittsburgh’s. That’s not to say Cousins would make Pittsburgh Super Bowl contenders, but he could help restore a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2016 AFC divisional round back to its winning ways. The Steelers’ offense ranked 28th in points and 25th in yards per game this season despite having talented pass-catchers in Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, along with one of the NFL’s better-rushing tandems. There’s no excuse for Pittsburgh to waste another season with mediocre quarterbacking.
Sal Licata works for the television home of the New York Mets (SNY) and has an idea for how the Mets could possibly shop Pete Alonso to other clubs this summer without ruining their long-term relationship with the All-Star first baseman who is set to reach free agency after the upcoming season. “I would tell him, ‘I’m not trading you unless you’re OK with this,'” Licata said during Tuesday’s edition of the WFAN “Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata” program about a possible discussion involving Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, team owner Steve Cohen and Alonso, as shared by Ryan Chichester of Audacy. “You have to have that conversation if you want to bring him back. If he’s ticked off and doesn’t want to be here, then so be it.” Licata dropped somewhat of a bombshell earlier this month when he revealed that he’d heard from industry sources that Alonso could be at least somewhat interested in featuring for either the Chicago Cubs or New York Yankees. While Alonso was heavily linked in rumors with the Cubs this past fall, Mets insider Anthony DiComo of the MLB website reported as recently as last week that Stearns and Cohen “know how unpopular” trading the “Polar Bear” would be viewed by a fan base that endured the club finishing the 2023 season with a 75-87 record. Also last week, Stearns insisted the Mets plan to compete for a playoff spot later this year. If, however, the Amazins again fail to meet such expectations through the All-Star break, Alonso theoretically could welcome playing for a contender before the 29-year-old has agent Scott Boras negotiate with Cohen after the World Series. Cohen built baseball’s most expensive squad for 2023. “I believe Pete wants the most money,” Licata added about Alonso. “I think he’d love it to be with the Mets…but I think Pete wants to get paid what he feels he is worth, and the Mets have the power to do that maybe more than anybody.” Stearns has repeatedly indicated Alonso will be the Mets’ Opening Day first baseman, so speculation about the slugger’s short-term future seems silly. With that said, Stearns seeking Alonso’s blessing to at least explore acquiring an asset or two for a fan-favorite who could become a rental for a different team leading up to free agency could benefit everyone involved depending on the Mets’ record come July 1.
Detroit Red Wings star Patrick Kane could return to action sooner than later amid a lower-body injury. Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde offered an optimistic update on Kane, who has missed the last three Detroit games due to an injury he sustained in a recent home game versus the Toronto Maple Leafs. “I think he’ll probably get on the ice sometime this week,” Lalonde said (h/t NHL.com). “I’m hoping to have him before the break; if not, I’m comfortable we’ll have him after the break.” Kane was only able to see 1:07 of ice time in the Maple Leafs game before leaving. Lalonde later said that the injury did not seem to be an aggravation of a hip injury that Kane had to address in the offseason via surgery, which was viewed as a good sign. Hopefully for Kane and the Red Wings, he will be able to get back to work the soonest time possible, as Detroit looks to sustain its current solid form. Red Wings in good form amid Patrick Kane’s injury The Red Wings have won four of their last five games, including the 4-2 victory over the said Maple Leafs matchup. They are also coming off a 2-1 win at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday. Detroit is taking on the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night to kick off a five-game homestand. On the season, the 35-year-old Kane, who inked a one-year deal worth $2.75 million with the Red Wings last November, has 16 points (seven goals and nine assists) in 19 games.
There hasn’t been much discussion about who the Seattle Seahawks are going to bring in as their next head coach. They surprised a lot of people when they moved on from Pete Carroll, who was at the helm for 14 seasons and is the most successful head coach in franchise history. General Manager John Schneider is heading up the search for the next head coach and ownership has made one thing clear. Whoever takes over for Carroll has to carry over the positive environment that he created. Replacing Carroll as the head coach is a tall task; replacing Carroll the person could be even tougher. He had a big presence in the city and left a mark not only on the Seahawks but on Seattle as a whole. Who could the team look to replace him with? In the opinion of Dan Graziano of ESPN, a dark horse candidate could soon emerge for the franchise. He believes that Mike Vrabel, the former Tennessee Titans head coach, could head to the greater northwest. “I know, he hasn’t even shown up on the Seahawks’ interview list yet. And sure, [Dan] Quinn has a connection to Seattle from his time as its defensive coordinator under Carroll. The Vrabel thing is a bit of a hunch, though I do have several sources who share the same hunch and the idea that he could be a sneaky late entry into this pool. “It’s almost certainly a coincidence that the Carroll news broke the day after the news that the Titans had fired Vrabel. But it’s also possible that the opportunity the current high-level candidate list offers is part of the reason Seattle decided now was the time to make a change.” Vrabel was no longer seeing eye-to-eye with the new front office run by Ran Carthon. He wanted the team to push to make the postseason, which is why wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was signed. But, Carthon wanted to start a rebuild, which is why so many veterans were let go in the offseason and safety Kevin Byard was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. Should Vrabel take over the Seahawks job, he knows they are a franchise committed to winning and competing every season. This is a team closer to contending than some people believe, especially if they can figure things out quickly at the quarterback position. Vrabel’s resume as a head coach is a strong one and he carries a very good one as a player as well. Many people thought he would return to the New England Patriots, but they opted for another former player in Jerod Mayo. That leaves Vrabel open for a team such as the Seahawks to swoop in and fill their head coaching void with a very solid signing.
Leave a Reply