According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Milwaukee Bucks have handed GM Jon Horst a multi-year contract extension. He took on the position in 2017 and, since then, has helped the Bucks win their first championship in 50 years. However, in recent years, Horst’s moves haven’t been ideal. And this latest Bucks decision is great for the Boston Celtics.
At first, Horst’s roster-building was perfection. He brought in Jrue Holiday to team up with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, adding the likes of Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez, too. Since then, it’s been all downhill, and this season, in particular, has been somewhat is a disaster.
Yet Horst still got an extension.
Bucks giving Jon Horst extension is great for the Celtics
Following an injury-plagued early exit at the hands of the Miami Heat in 2023, the Bucks decided they wanted to make a change. They shipped out Holiday and brought in Damian Lillard. They also fired head coach Mike Budenholzer and brought in Adrian Griffin.
Griffin was then fired mid-season, and the Bucks hired Doc Rivers. Milwaukee, again dealing with playoff injuries, were eliminated in Round 1 by the Indiana Pacers.
Fast forward to this season, and the Bucks made more big-time moves. At the deadline, they moved on from Middleton, trading him to the Washington Wizards for Kyle Kuzma.
Now, they find themselves down 0-2 to the Pacers in Round 1 of the playoffs once again, yet they still decided to re-up Horst’s contract.
Bucks fans may not be too pleased with the decision, but Celtics fans should be.
After a steady few years of the Bucks leading the charge as one of Boston’s top rivals in the conference, they haven’t been in the picture as of late. Round 1 exits have prevented them from popping up on the Celtics’ radar at all. And now that Horst is sticking around, it doesn’t seem like they’ll make any significant strides as a contender anytime soon.
For as disappointing as the Bucks have been, they still have Antetokounmpo on the roster. And for as long as they have, they won’t be a fun team to see in the playoffs. He’s one of the best, most physical players on the planet.
Despite his early success with the roster, Horst has proven incapable of putting together competent rosters in recent years, regardless of injuries. Trading defense for offense and playoff risers (and a franchise face) for questionable consistency is inexcusable.
For the Bucks, it’s a tough look. For the Celtics, it’s perfect.