Getty Miami Heat coaches Erik Spoelstra and Chris Quinn look on during Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics.
While the Miami Heat prepare for their Eastern Conference Finals rematch with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics, the majority of the Association’s teams are already focused on next season. That includes the Milwaukee Bucks, who were shockingly dispatched by Miami in Round 1.
Despite having entered postseason play as the top seed in the East, the Bucks’ early exit will inevitably lead to some level of roster turnover. However, the club also has a big-time vacancy on the bench after dismissing head coach Mike Budenholzer.
To that end, the Bucks look to be casting a wide net in their attempt to hire the right play-caller for the job. And according to a report from NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, a key member of Erik Spoelstra’s staff with the Heat is on the initial list of coaching candidates.
Namely, longtime assistant and former point guard Chris Quinn.
The Milwaukee Bucks received permission to interview Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn for the franchise’s coaching job, sources tell ESPN. Quinn has emerged on Erik Spoelstra’s staff as a candidate for several recent openings.
Bucks Have Taken Steps to Explore Chris Quinn as a Potential Replacement for Mike Budenholzer
According to Wojnarowski’s tweet on Monday, May 15, the Bucks either have or will soon speak to Quinn about their head coaching vacancy.
“The Milwaukee Bucks received permission to interview Miami Heat assistant Chris Quinn for the franchise’s coaching job, sources tell ESPN. Quinn has emerged on Erik Spoelstra’s staff as a candidate for several recent openings.”
Wojnarowski previously namechecked Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, Bucks associate head coach Charles Lee and former Charlotte Hornets play-caller James Borrego as candidates to take Milwaukee’s lead bench spot.
More recently, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that former Dubs coach and current ESPN commentator Mark Jackson would be interviewed and added ex-Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams to the list of candidates, via FanDuelTV, as well.
Budenholzer was officially relieved of his head coaching duties on May 4, just eight days after the Bucks were eliminated from postseason play by the Heat. The series loss made Milwaukee just the fifth No. 1 seed to get eliminated by an eighth-seeded team.
Heat’s Chris Quinn Has Background as Both a Coach & a Player
Quinn originally made the call to join the coaching ranks at the tender age of 30. Before making his big bench move, however, the Notre Dame product appeared in 241 games over parts of six seasons in the NBA.
His most fruitful days as a baller-for-hire were spent with the Heat from 2006 to 2009 after having joined the club initially as an undrafted free agent. Over that span (a 168-game run), he put up 5.6 points, 2.2 assists and 1.3 rebounds in 16.1 minutes per game for Coach Spo and Pat Riley before him.
Quinn also had stops with the then-New Jersey Nets, the San Antonio Spurs and the Cleveland Cavaliers — as well as teams in Russia, Spain and the G League.
The 39-year-old’s first coaching job came during the 2013-14 college season when he became an assistant on Chris Collins’ staff at Northwestern. His move to rejoin the Heat under Spoelstra came the following season; since then, he has emerged as one of the longest-tenured and most-respected assistants in the league.