Head coach Scott Skiles and the Milwaukee Bucks have parted ways, apparently in a mutual decision, according to various sources and NBA media outlets.
The move, reported first late Monday by USA Today, was confirmed to NBA.com by a person close to the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter. The Bucks are expected to make an official announcement Tuesday.
Skiles was working in the final year of his contract — as was his staff, as is GM John Hammond, as are several key Milwaukee players — and NBA.com’s David Aldridge reported Monday that the coach informed the Bucks that he would not be returning next season. Team management or Skiles did not comment for the report, but there were obvious differences of opinion between the coach and the front office over the make-up of the roster and Skiles’ playing rotations.
For example, the Bucks’ lack of size last season sparked personnel moves that significantly beefed up the frontcourt: Hammond traded for center Samuel Dalembert, drafted power forward John Henson, retained free-agent forward Ersan Ilyasova and signed free-agent center Joel Przybilla. Yet with that logjam and the emergence of third-year big man Larry Sanders, Skiles used Dalembert and Henson sporadically and rarely activated Drew Gooden, who logged most of Milwaukee’s minutes at center last season.
Meanwhile, he grappled with a thin backcourt, with only Beno Udrih as a reliable backup to scorers/starters Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis.
In five seasons with Milwaukee, Skiles, 48, posted a 162-182 mark. The Bucks reached the playoffs once, extending Atlanta to seven games in the first round in 2010 despite playing without center Andrew Bogut. Bogut had suffered a gruesome wrist-and-arm injury late in the regular season, and his setbacks and inconsistency led to last season’s trade with Golden State and the resulting remodeling of the roster.
The business decision by Bucks owner Herb Kohl not to offer contract extensions beyond this season to Skiles or Hammond was not appreciated by the coach, a person with knowledge of the situation said. Skiles allegedly had talked with Kohl about a release after last season, when he might have been a candidate for one of several NBA coaching positions. One of those jobs was in Orlando, where he enjoyed his greatest success as a player and where, unlike the Bucks, the Magic were committed to a full overhaul.
Still, Milwaukee keeping the coaches and the GM in the final seasons of their deals at least was consistent with the Bucks’ decision not to extend Jennings’ contract. They opted to let the point guard test the market as a restricted free agent this summer. Ellis has an opt-out clause in his contract.
And now their head coach will be out there as well, unrestricted.
Jim Boylan, Skiles’ top assistant coach in his stints as head coach in Phoenix and Chicago, will step in immediately. Coincidentally, he’ll slide one seat over just in time to face the Suns Tuesday at BMO Harris Bradley Center and the Bulls Wednesday in Chicago.
Coach Skiles shouldn’t have to wait long to find another job, the man is gifted
Another coach down
The Lakeshow should seriously consider firing D’Antoni and his ill-fitting playing style and hire coach Skiles instead, I’ve allways been a big fan especially of his hardnosed defensive attitude and holding his players accountable. Has a team ever fired two head coach in one season?
Your first point I second. Second point I don’t know..not too familiar with Skiles as a coach, liked him as a player though.
It might just be the case that Scott Skiles that is better suited to LAL than Mike D’Antoni, but I don’t think even the Lakers organisation wants to be paying THREE coaches for the next few years. Skiles will pick up another job soon enough and D’Antoni might just turn things around yet in LA, his job is most likely safe enough at least until Mike Brown’s would-be contract has expired.
Reblogged this on FunandGood and commented:
Scott Skiles once got into a fistfight with Shaquille O’Neal when they were teammates on the Orlando Magic
Why they playing pretty well and are in the playoffs picture.
yeah thats sad i really wanted him to do good in milwaukee but i kno teams will offer him a job fast i bet the nets won’t even think twice!!
About bloody time!!!! he cant coach offence. Bring on nate mcmillan or brian shaw. Then trade monta and gooden for a big guard or scoring small forward and u got a team
Totally agree. This guy couldn’t stick with a lineup, wouldn’t give young players any time, and had no clue on offense. For a team that is never going to be a defensive powerhouse with Jennings and Ellis it was the wrong guy for the job. I’ve like boyland from what I’ve seen, hopefully he can adapts his gameplan to the players he has, unlike his predecessor.
Reblogged this on mfBASKET and commented:
There was an obvious difference on the roster Skiles wanted to use and the one the management had in mind. Dalembert and Gooden, who had resigned this summer, were not playing for the Bucks with Scott on the bench, so it’s a tough but sensitive decision. Milwaukee is having quite a good season so far, but they need to define the frontcourt players they are going to rely the team on. Sanders, Ilyasova, Dalembert and Gooden? Udoh and Mbah a Moute? We’ll see it quite soon, I guess
7th in the east looks good to me.
oh well…. Philly may have a shot after all.
Hopefully they keep up the good work. Monte Ellis deserves a playoff run after being an all-star snub for so many years
Skiles should have played Dalembert 30 mins/game. Otherwise, he did a good job this year.
[...] Skiles, Milwaukee Part By 'Mutual' DecisionNBA.com (blog)Head coach Scott Skiles and the Milwaukee Bucks have parted ways, apparently in a mutual decision, according to various sources and NBA media outlets. The move, reported first late Monday by USA Today, was confirmed to NBA.com by a person close to …Discussing NBA rumors that hit on Scott Skiles' murky future with the …Brew HoopScott Skiles out: Bucks coach departs via mutual decisionSportingNews.comNBA: Milwaukee Bucks, coach Scott Skiles part ways – reportGMA NewsHoopsWorld -Ellwood City Ledger -FOXSports.comall 415 news articles » [...]
skiles is not a players coach…difficult to win without players and coach on the same page….players run the show…skiles is a good teacher…too bad his students tune him out
scotty represented the bucks well so did george karl…… PROBLEM power tripping maybe.. don’t matter let’s move on i like players first coaches second……. i will say this though those broadcasters john ( so critical of players game ) Mc glocklin & his sidekick jim ( don’t know nothing about basketball ) paschke ….. CAN YOU SAY BORING I CAN – it’s sad when i watch a game on tv it’s muted. so here we go again herb SOLUTION stop using a broom and try DYNOMITE……….. p.s. get everybody excited from the radio to the tv and the internet……… i miss Eddie Doucette
Put my good name in as candidate Mr. Kohl.
Exp. bball coach who is a mix of:
Larry Brown
Lenny Wilkens
Pat Riley
Chuck Daly
Bill Fitch
*can handle Egos
Email is:
DivineChad7 at G mail