Woj - Bucks choose Griffin/add Stotts/Prunty

[Matches Malone]

Griffin doesn't seem like the smartest or well-spoken dude in the world, that's for sure.
Although to be fair, Matt Lafleur 's first press conference was very cringe-worthy in its own right.

I thought he sounded great

For the most part, his answers had some thought into them without giving up too much away. He jumbled a few things up but that's the nerves of a first HC press conference. That will get easier and more natural as time goes on. Horst was the same way and he's night and day better in that department.

[humanrefutation]

Giannis will change because he'll have to. His body (esp his ankles and knees) won't take the same punishment as he ages. If he wants to be an elite player heading into his 30s and beyond, he'll have to expand his skillset to become a guy who can post up and and work from the elbow.

[aboveAverage]

Love the answers I heard from Griffin about the strategy. Based on his answers, I think his schemes are going to be really different than Bud’s schemes.

Here’s my summary:

Defense:
Ball pressure is the focus. A proactive defense that doesn’t allow the offense of the other team to dictate the game. Forcing turnovers will be key for transition basketball. Also mentioned that we need to make adjustments to the defense when necessary.

Offense:
Making teams pay for doubling Giannis/Khris. A lot more focus on ball movement and body movement. Threes are still going to a focus but they’re going be rhythm threes. He’s a big fan of crashing the offensive glass.

[WuTang_CMB]

Love the answers I heard from Griffin about the strategy. Based on his answers, I think his schemes are going to be really different than Bud’s schemes.

Here’s my summary:

Defense:
Ball pressure is the focus. A proactive defense that doesn’t allow the offense of the other team to dictate the game. Forcing turnovers will be key for transition basketball. Also mentioned that we need to make adjustments to the defense when necessary.

Offense:
Making teams pay for doubling Giannis/Khris. A lot more focus on ball movement and body movement. Threes are still going to a focus but they’re going be rhythm threes. He’s a big fan of crashing the offensive glass.

We played this way defensively the past 2 years. We were # 1 in forcing turnovers and #2 in offensive rebounds. We got a lot of extra possessions but the lack of shooting and attention from a star hurt us. I think translating this defensive scheme for the bucks will do a lot better due to your personel

[aboveAverage]

Also very interesting that Griffin mentioned Khris, Jrue, and Brook as part of the core around Giannis. That’s a pretty good sign that Khris and Brook are coming back.

If I had to guess, we’ll make one trade for a PG and then run it back with Griff and Stotts. It’s clear that the ownership still believes in this core.

[JayMKE]

tbf griffin can only comment on the situation as it is now, they probably could still move guys that were part of the hire.

[-Jragon-]

The two biggest things Giannis can/needs to do to maximize his game and make his life easier are:

1) Get back to being a consistent +70% FT shooter (you know it's possible because he did it for damn near 6 straight seasons to start his career)

2) Passing quicker out of double-teams and drive & kick situations.

Both are actually fixable and neither require him to abandon the "4 out and drive to the basket" offense that, you know, most often works because he's a bigger, longer Lebron with a full head of steam. Obviously you want him to mix it up, search out mismatches, occasionally cut off-ball and such, but the shot data doesn't support this idea that simply letting him catch the ball closer to the post or baseline is this recipe for more efficient offense.

He's historically been terrible from 3-10 feet (36% career), and despite being Top-10 in post-up volume this last season (3.4 per game), he was just a 54th percentile guy (0.97 PPP) and that pretty much jives with his career numbers (FYI, he was a downright awful 0.80 PPP on post-ups during the 2021 playoff run). And then, there's this:

Giannis as the pick & roll ball-handler this season: 1.05 PPP, 87th percentile efficiency.

Less post-ups. More Giannis as the ball-handler on 4/5 (or Giannis high-low screens with your best shooter) pick & rolls.

The stats don't sound very good but how about this.... the Westbrick b.s. doesn't work in the playoffs... and this, he has been relying on a fadeaway during those stats.. so what should Giannis do? Practice ONLY his drop-step and step through combos and his free throws everyday until next playoffs and all season so he can make his office down there... dribbling to get to the same place is reckless the way Miami / Boston defend it in the playoffs

[paulpressey25]

"Trained with Hakeem in the offseason" i

When we drafted TJ Ford, had a client in Texas tell me we'd love him, because "TJ makes his Bigs play big".

It was so true. That's part of the issue here. Became convinced after this playoffs that our PG's really are worse options than Giannis at PG.

Until we get a good one, nothing can change.

[blazza18]

Read on Twitter

?s=20

Feel bad for him that those were the players he had to take a photo with. The organisation couldn't organise one of the big names to come to town for a photo op?

[Turk Nowitzki]

I didn't see this posted yet. Gery is reporting that Baker and Oppenheimer are sticking around.

Read on Twitter

[-Jragon-]

"Trained with Hakeem in the offseason" i

When we drafted TJ Ford, had a client in Texas tell me we'd love him, because "TJ makes his Bigs play big".

It was so true. That's part of the issue here. Became convinced after this playoffs that our PG's really are worse options than Giannis at PG.

Until we get a good one, nothing can change.

It doesn't matter if he's a better PG option now that it's on tape several times how to stop it. It's over now and we need a new strategy.

[Profound23]

I didn't see this posted yet. Gery is reporting that Baker and Oppenheimer are sticking around.

Read on Twitter

Wish we were able to keep Lee, but I understand.

[paulpressey25]

Gery breaking news on the assistants from his Lazy Boy recliner down in Racine. Interesting how he's able to do that.

[mattg]

The two biggest things Giannis can/needs to do to maximize his game and make his life easier are:

1) Get back to being a consistent +70% FT shooter (you know it's possible because he did it for damn near 6 straight seasons to start his career)

2) Passing quicker out of double-teams and drive & kick situations.

Both are actually fixable and neither require him to abandon the "4 out and drive to the basket" offense that, you know, most often works because he's a bigger, longer Lebron with a full head of steam. Obviously you want him to mix it up, search out mismatches, occasionally cut off-ball and such, but the shot data doesn't support this idea that simply letting him catch the ball closer to the post or baseline is this recipe for more efficient offense.

He's historically been terrible from 3-10 feet (36% career), and despite being Top-10 in post-up volume this last season (3.4 per game), he was just a 54th percentile guy (0.97 PPP) and that pretty much jives with his career numbers (FYI, he was a downright awful 0.80 PPP on post-ups during the 2021 playoff run). And then, there's this:

Giannis as the pick & roll ball-handler this season: 1.05 PPP, 87th percentile efficiency.

Less post-ups. More Giannis as the ball-handler on 4/5 (or Giannis high-low screens with your best shooter) pick & rolls.

Post ups aren't the answer for Giannis offensively, but I think a big thing for Giannis is HOW he is receiving the ball. Ideally, he should be catching while already moving towards the rim, not a static catch (which is a HUGE Giannis issue in general, he bogs stuff down by being a slow decision maker or catching and holding and letting defenses load up on him which is a testament to how good he is that he is still so efficient and effective). That means more actions where he is the roll man, the guy curling in delay action and not just the handoff guy, more zoom action, more spain ball screens, more pindowns with shooters screening to free him, what we were doing under Bud was like an exercise in making the offense as rudimentary/simple as possible.

Either way this year and next are a litmus test for Giannis offensively IMO. Either his game changes for the better, or if we see the same approach it will confirm that the lack of creativity in the Bud Era was due to Giannis being unable/unwilling to do anything beyond his best young Lebron in Cleveland impersonation.

[Ryan5UW]

Gery also said assistants need not apply - if I’m Vin or Oppenheimer I’m probably updating my resume after this.

[paulpressey25]

Gery also said assistants need not apply - if I’m Vin or Oppenheimer I’m probably updating my resume after this.

Here is what he said:

"Sources said in the aftermath of Budenholzer’s firing that his assistant coaches were informed they are free to pursue jobs with other teams"

So the new HC went out and offered two of the guys jobs, as it should be.

[blazza18]

Would be very excited by some changes to our defence. I very much disliked how passive we were under Bud.

Read on Twitter

[Ryan5UW]

Gery also said assistants need not apply - if I’m Vin or Oppenheimer I’m probably updating my resume after this.

Here is what he said:

"Sources said in the aftermath of Budenholzer’s firing that his assistant coaches were informed they are free to pursue jobs with other teams"

So the new HC went out and offered two of the guys jobs, as it should be.

Read on Twitter

[paulpressey25]

Read on Twitter

That was all true with the owners.Then Giannis intervened.

[MickeyDavis]

“Through extensive background and reference work — we did advance analytics on coaching profiles and staff profiles,” Horst said. “We really spent a ton of time in the interview process. We targeted 20 or so folks to start, conducted 15 or so first-round interviews, reduced it down to a group of six or so people for a second round of interviews and ultimately a finalist group that met with our ownership, met with the business side of the Bucks, the performance group, our players and ultimately our ownership.

“We all landed on Adrian Griffin as being the candidate that we recommended to take this job. With his character, his leadership presence, his varied experiences working for great coaches over the past 15 years in the NBA, almost a decade’s worth of playing experience playing with great players, playing for great coaches, it was clear to us that Adrian was the right hire.”

“He impressed every step of the way, first through our reference work and our background work,” Horst said. “You literally talk to ushers in arenas, you talk to ex-teammates, you talk to ex-coaches that he’s coached with, and everyone was just emphatic about the person that Adrian is, about the work ethic that Adrian has, about his relationship-building qualities with players and staff.

“And then we interview him, and he blew us away in the interview. And then we bring him back for a second interview, and we get to the chalk talk and get on the board and watch the film, and he blows us away again. Then he meets with our staff: the front-office staff, the medical staff and the business side. Players. Ownership. And he blows them away again. And then he’s in the big moment. You’re the guy that needs to go for the final interview with the owners. Like, don’t mess it up, right? And he did it again. There’s a lot more detail to it than that, probably, but on a high level, he’s just impressed every step of the way both in person and in the environment around him.”

Going into the process, Horst even conceded there was probably an internal bias toward someone who had done the job before and had previous NBA head-coaching experience, yet Griffin still won out.

“There was probably a bias internally that made me think they would probably have some head-coaching experience in the package, but I didn’t allow that bias to overrun our process in any way,” Horst said. “And what became clear to me and evident throughout the process, and I think something we’ve learned — and we’ll see how it works out — is head-coaching experience is one level of experience, but NBA experience is another incredibly valuable level of experience, and there’s really no one that we spent time with that’s more experienced than Adrian Griffin to be a head coach in the NBA.