6:34pm: The Bucks have officially announced that Jon Horst will be their new general manager via a press release published on the team’s website.
9:42am: The Bucks are expected to officially announce Horst’s promotion to GM later today, tweets ESPN’s Marc Stein.
8:15am: The Bucks’ general manager search has taken another unexpected turn, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, who reports (via Twitter) that the team is closing in on promoting current director of basketball operations Jon Horst to the GM role. According to Wojnarowski (via Twitter), Milwaukee has been searching in recent days for a veteran basketball executive to pair with Horst in the front office.
After former general manager John Hammond left Milwaukee for Orlando earlier in the offseason, the Bucks conducted an extensive search for his replacement, and had reportedly identified three finalists: Justin Zanik (Bucks assistant GM), Arturas Karnisovas (Nuggets assistant GM), and Wes Wilcox (former Hawks GM).
Zanik and Karnisovas were viewed as the top candidates from that group, but Karnisovas withdrew his name from the process after receiving a promotion in Denver, leaving Zanik as the apparent favorite for the job. However, it appears the Bucks will instead promote another in-house exec, following what Wojnarowski refers to as a “contentious ownership disagreement.”
According to Wojnarowski (via Twitter), Zanik had the support of co-owner Marc Lasry and head coach Jason Kidd, among others, for the GM job, but a full consensus was required to promote him to that position.
If the Bucks do finalize Horst as the new GM and bring in an outside executive to work with him in the front office, it will be interesting to see whether Zanik remains in Milwaukee, having been passed over for a promotion. Zanik has been leading the club’s draft preparations since Hammond left for the Magic.
Maybe Zanik will be president
What a horrible mistake by the Bucks. One of the newest, brightest GM prospects, who they practically guaranteed the role to upon his hiring and they reject him. It makes the management group look like squabbling school boys. What is Monroe going to think? What is Giannis going to think? This just makes the Bucks look bad. I love this team, but I hope Zanik goes elsewhere, preferably in the same division, and then successfully outflanks the Bucks for a couple of decades. Geez, what a screw up.
What data do you have to support your assertions?
Ah, almost EVERY media report has reported what Buk typed. This is a horrendous move by the Bucks and has now potentially turned this organization from moving forward and back to the dark years of the Herb Kohl’s embarrassment.
How do you know it’s a mistake?
How do you know Zanik is newest and brightest?
Idk but the dude spells Buck “Buk” so I wouldn’t take him to seriously. Also who cares what Greg Monroe thinks? He might not even be there when the season begins lol
Does anyone else find it hilarious that supposed Bucks “Insider” Gery Woeful was so far off the mark each time he cited a “league source” during this process? Basically every time Gery claimed someone was close to being named GM, the complete opposite happens and that guy falls out of the running.
Show me the last time Woeful had anything close to an accurate “Inside” story on the Bucks. Knowing the parking attendant at the Bucks offices doesnt make you a team insider. It must be nice to simply quote a “source” and report pure speculation that anyone can drum up.
To anyone that works at 105.7 FM The Fan – If you are reading this, please remove Mr. Woeful from your airwaves. He’s a hack and makes your station look like a joke for having him associated with your shows. Your ratings will go up, I promse you.
Woeful is indeed just that. The next time he is actually right on a report, will be his FIRST time being right.
It’s been this way forever. I remember a headline (from my early teen years) “PRESSEY TRADED” for Mychal Thompson. It’s been the same since.