News broke late last night that Scott Skiles and the Bucks have mutually agreed to part ways immediately, rather than Skiles coaching the last season of his contract with no intention of remaining in Milwaukee. The 16-16 Bucks are currently tied for a seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, so the task of keeping Milwaukee in the playoff picture will fall to Jim Boylan, who will coach the club for the rest of the season, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times. Just before reports of Skiles' departure surfaced, Woelfel published a column that included a few other Bucks-related tidbits, so let's check out the highlights from that piece….
- General manager John Hammond confirmed that he's in talks with owner Herb Kohl about a contract extension, tweets Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Earlier updates:
- Chatter around the NBA suggesting that Bucks owner Kohl will sell the team has intensified recently, according to Woelfel. Former Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley was, and perhaps still is, considered the frontrunner to buy the franchise, while Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark L. Attanasio is also said to have interest.
- Kohl hasn't commented on a potential sale and has even said he'll be more involved with the team now that he's no longer a U.S. Senator in Wisconsin. However, at age 78, Kohl may be inclined to at least bring aboard a partner to whom he could eventually pass the torch, reports Woelfel.
- Monta Ellis figures to exercise the early termination option on his contract and become a free agent this July.
- There have been "rumblings" that general manager John Hammond could receive an extension, but Hammond declined to comment on whether he has discussed a new contract with the team.