Jon Horst Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Perry, LaVine, Young, Jones, Dumars, Graham, Horst

April 27th, 2025 at 7:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

New Kings general manager Scott Perry won’t engage an offseason teardown even though De’Aaron Fox was dealt at the trade deadline this season, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line report in their latest newsletter.

While the roster is lacking a true starting point guard and requires more length and athleticism, as he told the media in a recent press conference, Perry isn’t looking to hit the reset button.

However, there is speculation that Zach LaVine could be on the move again. Perry questioned LaVine’s ability to elevate his teammates a couple of years ago in a podcast. LaVine has two years and approximately $96.5MM remaining on his contract and becomes eligible for an extension on July 7.

Here are several more tidbits from Stein and Fischer:

Trae Young‘s name has been bandied about in trade rumors in recent years but it appears unlikely Atlanta will look to deal its franchise player this summer. Former Hawks GM Landry Fields broke up the backcourt duo of Young and Dejounte Murray last offseason and one of the players acquired in return, defensive ace Dyson Daniels, meshed well with Young. Moreover, Hawks personnel members have spoken often about Young’s growth as a leader and being a more willing passer. Coach Quin Snyder’s praise regarding Young’s improved effort and defensive commitment also speaks to the likelihood of the Hawks continuing to build around him.
While there has been speculation regarding James Jones‘ status as the Suns GM, given that his contract expires in June, he’s been tasked with leading the search for a new head coach. Phoenix would ideally determine its new front office structure before hiring a head coach but Jones could be asked to remain in the front office in a different role.
New Pelicans executive VP of basketball operations Joe Dumars has already made several front office changes, including the addition of former Pistons GM Troy Weaver as senior VP. However, Dumars has decided to retain GM Bryson Graham. The latter has been credited with unearthing underrated talent in the draft, such as Trey Murphy and Herbert Jones.
The Bucks’ decision to give GM Jon Horst an extension had been in the works for weeks. Front office openings in Atlanta, Denver and Phoenix further pushed the negotiations to fruition. However, Horst’s new deal won’t quell the hope of rival executives that another early playoff exit could lead to a trade request from superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Central Notes: Pistons, Mobley, Merrill, Rivers, Horst

April 24th, 2025 at 9:58pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Pistons‘ decision to focus on getting veteran players who fit around star Cade Cunningham and the rest of their young nucleus is a huge reason they’re fighting in the playoffs one year removed from being the worst team in the league, Jamal Collier of ESPN writes. Tobias Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley have each made a major impact on the team’s massive turnaround.

“There’s a lot of talent here, kind of just need a few adults in the room,” Harris said of his decision to return to Detroit, where he played from 2016-18. “Guide these guys a little bit, and really boost their confidence up, boost the professionalism, morale of the whole team, and see where they could take us. I knew that coming in that this was going to be a breath of fresh air for me, but I’ve truly enjoyed it. It’s the most fun I’ve had playing basketball my whole career with this group and this team.”

New general manager Trajan Langdon thought it might take some time for the new-look Pistons to jell, but the top-six seed in the playoffs has been a nice surprise and the team is looking to capitalize now. Adding the veterans they did wasn’t just about their on-court fit, but also how they’d serve as leaders and mentors.

“The main thing was trying to put together some people around these young guys that could help them develop,” Langdon said. “It’s not only the on-the-court and between-the-lines that I thought was important, but also the character, the experience and the postseason experience.”

In a similar piece, Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports explores Detroit’s one-year turnaround. As Goodwill writes, Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart were among players whose confidence didn’t waver during a challenging season in 2023/24. The Pistons are down 2-1 in the series against New York after a close loss on Thursday, but they’re well prepared to be competitive now and in the future.

“I remember me and [Cunningham], just talking in that moment, and we’re just saying, ‘Tables are going to turn,’” Stewart said. “You know, that’s what me and him always said to each other, ‘Stay with it.’”

We have more from the Central Division:

Before being named this season’s Defensive Player of the Year, Cavaliers star Evan Mobley wasn’t allowing the potential financial boon of winning the award to distract him in the playoffs, Joe Vardon of The Athletic writes. “He’s got that something,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “He’s desperate to be great.”
Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill is showing he’s not a one-dimensional player in the team’s first-round series against the Heat, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes. Merrill has been working hard to prove he’s not just a marksman and has a more well-rounded skill set, and Game 1 showcased his strides on the defensive end. He ended up playing more than Max Strus and De’Andre Hunter. “He doesn’t pass the eye test as a defender,” teammate Jarrett Allen said. “I mean, let’s just be honest. But every single play he’s out there, he’s fighting through screens and his one-on-one defense against Andrew Wiggins a couple of days ago was excellent. I think he’s realizing he can be a great shooter like he is already and an excellent defender as well. He’s starting to unlock that for himself.”
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers is excited that general manager Jon Horst earned himself a contract extension on Thursday, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “It’s awesome. It’s just awesome,” Rivers said. “It’s the news I’ve been waiting for, just very happy for him. He’s done an amazing job. We have an amazing relationship and it just creates stability. I’m just a big believer in stability in organizations. That’s how you build teams. Very happy for Jon and his family.” Rivers said the connection between the two sides is crucial in helping Milwaukee get back to competing for titles.

Bucks Agree To Extend GM Jon Horst’s Contract

April 24th, 2025 at 10:42am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bucks have agreed to a multiyear contract extension with general manager Jon Horst, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports.

This will end any speculation that the Bucks’ ownership group was contemplating a change at the top of its front office chain. Horst has been the Bucks’ GM since 2017. During that span, the team has made the playoffs in all eight seasons and has a .647 winning percentage, second-best in the league.

The Bucks won the 2021 championship but haven’t gone deep in the Eastern Conference playoffs since that run. They lost in the conference semifinals in 2022 and were knocked out in the first round in each of the past two seasons. They currently trail Indiana 2-0 in their opening-round series.

There had been speculation that Suns owner Mat Ishbia might pursue Horst if he were made available. Milwaukee denied Detroit permission to interview Horst for their top executive job last summer before the Pistons chose Trajan Langdon.

There has also been speculation that Giannis Antetokounmpo might want out of Milwaukee if the Bucks flame out in the postseason again. Horst made the blockbuster deal for Damian Lillard in 2023 after Antetokounmpo publicly wondered whether they had a championship-level roster.

This winter, the 42-year-old Horst commented on his feelings about keeping Milwaukee among the top contenders for the title.

“It’s still the awesome responsibility to try to take this franchise and maximize the window that we have now as best we can,” Horst said. “What we think gives us the best chance to win, and figure out how to continue winning going forward. There’s a very narrow set of opportunities that we felt that we could do that, and this was one of them.”

Bucks GM: Middleton Trade Was ‘Hardest Transaction’ Of My Career

February 11th, 2025 at 10:19am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to reporters on Monday for the first time since last week’s trade deadline, Bucks general manager Jon Horst said the decision to trade Khris Middleton to the Wizards was the “hardest transaction” he has made during his career as a front office executive, according to Jamal Collier of ESPN.

Middleton, who had been with the Bucks since being acquired from Detroit during the summer of 2013, made three All-Star teams during his 12 season with the organization and was a key part of the team that won a championship in 2021.

“I’m incredibly close with Khris personally, his family,” Horst said on Monday, per Steve Megargee of The Associated Press. “I probably have more Middleton jerseys in my house than anything and will still have more Middleton jerseys in my house than anything.”

Last week’s four-team trade saw the Bucks send out Middleton, 2024 first-round pick AJ Johnson, Delon Wright, a 2028 first-round pick swap, and cash in exchange for Kyle Kuzma, Jericho Sims, and a pair of second-rounders.

The deal significantly reduced Milwaukee’s overall salary, moving the team below the second tax apron, though Horst said that wasn’t a mandate from ownership. He believes the move will allow the Bucks to remain in contention in the present and future.

“It’s still the awesome responsibility to try to take this franchise and maximize the window that we have now as best we can,” Horst said. “What we think gives us the best chance to win, and figure out how to continue winning going forward. There’s a very narrow set of opportunities that we felt that we could do that, and this was one of them.”

Middleton has battled injuries in recent years and missed more games (112) than he played (111) from the start of the 2022/23 season to the time of the trade. However, Horst claimed the veteran forward’s availability wasn’t a driving factor in his decision to make the deal.

“Collectively, I think we’re deeper in the spots we needed to be deeper,” he said, according to Collier. “This gave us an opportunity to diversify a little bit, to kind of put money and talent and roster spots in other places where I thought we needed help.”

Kuzma is four years younger than Middleton and has been healthier too, though he’s having a down year this season. His shooting percentages of 42.0% from the field and 28.1% on three-pointers with the Wizards would have easily been career lows, and he averaged just 15.2 points per game prior to the trade after putting up 21.7 PPG in his first two years in D.C.

As Eric Nehm of The Athletic relays, Horst said the Bucks “strongly believe” that Kuzma remains in his prime and will play better than he did in the first half of this season. Milwaukee’s GM also lauded the veteran forward for his ability to move the ball, attack in transition, and serve as a secondary rim protector on defense.

Horst, noting that the Bucks made multiple deadline moves and also brought in Sims and Kevin Porter Jr., made it clear that he doesn’t want to directly compare Kuzma to Middleton.

“This isn’t a Khris or a Kyle comparison, although that’s the easy thing to do,” Horst said. “It’s the team before the trade deadline and the team after the trade deadline, and to be determined with an open roster spot, that we felt like in totality we positioned ourselves to have a better run this year. That doesn’t do anything to diminish the three-time All-Star, Olympian, NBA champion, pillar in the community, everything that Khris Middleton was for this franchise for over a decade.”

Eastern Notes: Schröder, Thibodeau, Allen, Rivers, Horst

November 12th, 2024 at 8:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Dennis Schröder is playing some of the best ball of his career and he isn’t oblivious to the fact that he could be playing elsewhere at some point this season, the Nets guard told Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

“I’ve been in the league 12 years, and people have talked about my name in trade talks for 12 years. [And] I’ve been traded twice,” Schröder said. “… So [gossip] is going to happen. They use it as an event where they can promote who is on the block. I don’t really care.

“But I’ve bought into this system right now because they pay my checks, and I’m doing my job every single day, and I’m always professional about it, always going to make the most out of it. Get one percent better every single day. And whatever happens, happens. I understand it’s a business, but no worries here.”

Schröder, who is averaging 19.5 points and 6.2 assists per game, has an expiring $13MM contract.

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

The Knicks depleted their depth with some blockbuster moves this offseason and coach Tom Thibodeau has shown a reluctance to trust his reserves, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. In their last three losses, Thibodeau basically ran a six-man rotation in the second half with Miles McBride as the lone reserve receiving meaningful playing time.
The Cavaliers will look to stay unbeaten on Wednesday at Philadelphia but they could go without their starting center. Jarrett Allen is listed as questionable due to a lower left leg strain, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets. Allen appeared a little hobbled on Monday, according to Fedor, when he was limited to nine points, five rebounds and one block in 26 minutes against Chicago.
It’s unlikely that Doc Rivers is on the hot seat after the Bucks’ 2-8 start, considering Rivers received a four-year, $40MM contract after Adrian Griffin was fired in midseason, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick. General manager Jon Horst is under pressure after a few disappointing seasons, and league sources told Amick that there’s skepticism he’d be given the leeway to make another coaching change this soon.

And-Ones: Cousins, Murray, Draft Prospects, Hot Seats

September 9th, 2024 at 9:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Former NBA center DeMarcus Cousins won’t reach out to NBA teams to get another chance to play in the league, he said on the Club 520 podcast (hat tip to Hoops Hype).

“I’m not going to go out trying to convince these guys anymore,” he said. “You know what I bring to the floor. It’s been proven. If you really wanted to know who I am, you’d take the time to get to know me instead of listening to somebody else. I’m past trying to reach out. If an opportunity comes that makes sense, I’ll consider it, but I’m done with the convincing.”

Cousins recently joined Wuxi WenLv, a Chinese team on the FIBA 3×3 World Tour. Cousins, who has been out of the NBA since 2022, has played for professional teams in Puerto Rico, Taiwan, and the Philippines since that point.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Jamal Murray‘s contract extension agreement with the Nuggets is good news for Canada’s basketball program, Michael Grange of Sportsnet opines. Murray took a lot of criticism during the Paris Olympics for his subpar performances and there were long-term concerns about his health. The possibility that Murray’s performances for Canada would be used against him in contract negotiations was a scenario the program didn’t want or need. It could have been the kind of cautionary tale that could create obstacles regarding team-building in the future, according to Grange.
Several prospects in the NBA’s next two draft classes have boosted their stock this summer and Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report takes a look at some of those risers. That group includes Baylor freshman guard V.J. Edgecombe and Illinois swingman Kasparas Jakucionis, as well as Cameron Boozer (draft-eligible in 2026).
Bulls top executive Arturas Karnisovas and head coach Billy Donovan, Bucks GM Jon Horst and coach Doc Rivers, Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins, and Nuggets GM Calvin Booth are among the GMs, presidents and coaches who have the most to prove this NBA season, according to ESPN’s Insiders.

Bucks’ Jon Horst Discusses Trent, Wright, Pistons’ Interest, More

July 26th, 2024 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

In addition to declaring that the Bucks have no interest in trading starting center Brook Lopez, general manager Jon Horst touched on several more topics in a wide-ranging interview with Eric Nehm of The Athletic, expressing no regrets about last fall’s trade for Damian Lillard and conveying optimism about Milwaukee’s chances of being a title contender in 2024/25.

Asked by Nehm if the Bucks belong in the conversation with the defending champion Celtics and other Eastern Conference contenders like the Sixers and Knicks, Horst said there’s no question Milwaukee is in that tier.

“Yeah. I mean, honestly, it’s just whether or not those other teams belong in the conversation with us,” Horst said. “We’re the winningest team in the league and the conference the last seven or eight years. We still have our place there. We still have the best player in the world. We’ve got two top-75 players (of all-time) as our lead duo. We gotta be healthy. We gotta be lucky. We gotta be good. We’re definitely good enough. The guys are going to put in the right work. Hopefully we’re healthy enough and lucky enough and we’ll see.”

Horst also discussed the Bucks’ cap and tax situation, suggesting that the front office has no concerns about operating over the second tax apron and noting that it wouldn’t be hard to get out of apron territory if ownership wanted to do so. For now though, the goal is championship contention, which means spending well into the tax.

“When you have a team that is as talented as ours — I don’t say this boastfully, I just say this more matter-of-factually — we don’t have a bad contract on our roster,” Horst said. “All of our players are good players, good people on good-to-great contracts. So we can get anywhere at any time we want in the CBA, anywhere from a room team to a second-apron team. I think it’s never an issue for us to go where we want in terms of the CBA limits or aprons or thresholds. But the goal is not that. The goal has been, and will continue to be, to try to figure out how to win, to be the best team and organization in professional sports.”

Here are a few more highlights from Horst’s Q&A, which is worth checking out in full if you’re a subscriber to The Athletic:

On being able to sign Gary Trent Jr. to a minimum-salary contract:

Gary is a legit starting two-guard option that we’re very fortunate to be able to add to our group in a position of need. … He’s an almost 40-percent three-point shooter for his career. … He has a defensive component to his game that I think we can help flourish and grow more in our system. We’ve been able to do that with players, not only grow players offensively, but grow them defensively. And I just think he’s a great fit.

“He didn’t have the market that he probably wanted, but he also wasn’t a minimum player. Gary could have signed for more money elsewhere. He chose us for the opportunity that he thinks that we can give him, but also, he wants to win. So, it says a lot about him that we were able to secure him here in free agency.”

On why the Bucks prioritized Delon Wright in free agency:

“Delon is a really successful, versatile player. We targeted him because he can start at or back up two positions, maybe even three. He’s a big guard. He’s a defensive-minded guard. He’s playoff proven. He’s able to kind of generate turnovers, which is another thing that Gary does also. Both those guys are guys that generate turnovers on the ball and off the ball in the backcourt, something that we struggled with last year and we think helps in the playoffs. He’s capable of playing on the ball in pick-and-roll. He’s capable of playing off the ball as a catch-and-shoot threat from three. He can finish around the rim.

“So, for us, the versatility of Delon being able to play at either backcourt positions as a starter, as a backup, just with his experiences, was an absolute no-brainer. He was a high, high target for us and we were very fortunate that we were able to get him early.”

On the Pistons’ reported interest in talking to Horst about their president of basketball operations job:

“I never spoke to the Pistons. The Bucks didn’t allow me to, but they also expressed why they made that decision and how much they value me and want me here in Milwaukee, so it was pretty quick on my end. When the Pistons came to the Bucks about their interest in me, I had a brief conversation with our ownership group, they told me how they felt and how they were going to approach it and very quickly, our conversation shifted to the team this offseason.

“(Bucks co-owner) Wes (Edens) and I actually ended up talking for 45 minutes about how we were going to have a killer offseason and the types of guys we need to get and how we don’t want to be in this position again, and how much it sucks watching someone else play. We just talked about our team and that honestly was about the depth of the entire Detroit thing between me and the ownership group.”

Bucks Deny Pistons Permission To Interview Jon Horst

May 12th, 2024 at 3:35pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Pistons’ search for a new team president of basketball operations may have to go back to the drawing board.

In his latest Substack column, Marc Stein cites sources who say that the Bucks refused to allow Detroit to interview Jon Horst, despite a belief that Milwaukee’s team president was open to a conversation.

Horst was honored as the league’s Executive of the Year in 2018/19 and helped guide the Bucks to their first championship after a 50-year drought in 2021. Horst inked a long-term extension with the club that fall. Most recently, he helped orchestrate the team’s deal to acquire All-Star point guard Damian Lillard last offseason, while also re-signing aging veterans Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez to lucrative new deals.

Milwaukee underwent a tumultuous 2023/24 season. Horst hired and fired first-time head coach Adrian Griffin to lead the team’s Lillard-Giannis Antetokounmpo superstar tandem and brought in his replacement, Doc Rivers. With Jrue Holiday gone, the team’s perimeter defense fell off, though Rivers helped stabilize it somewhat when he took over. Ultimately, the Bucks finished with a 49-33 record and the East’s No. 3 seed. Lillard and Antetokounmpo were felled by injuries, and Milwaukee was upset in its first round series against the sixth-seeded Pacers.

Horst is a Michigan native whose work in the NBA began with the Pistons, so it would make sense for him to be intrigued by the opportunity to run Detroit’s front office. Conversely, it’s not a huge surprise that the Bucks wouldn’t want their top front office decision maker — who has been the architect for much of their recent success with Antetokounmpo — to be poached by a direct Central Division rival.

The Pistons, who are demoting but retaining general manager Troy Weaver, have also been linked to Mavericks consultant Dennis Lindsey and former Knicks general manager Scott Perry. Stein has previously noted that Timberwolves president Tim Connelly is viewed as a potential target if he were to opt out of his current contract, agreed to when Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore were expected to become Minnesota’s majority owners.

Detroit is coming off one of its worst seasons ever, having finished with a league-worst 14-68 record during their first year under head coach Monty Williams. Though Detroit was no doubt hoping to earn the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft thanks to its miserable 2023/24 run, the team instead fell in Sunday’s draft lottery, and will now pick fifth.

Eastern Notes: Pistons, Horst, Butler, Sixers, Hornets, Nets, More

May 6th, 2024 at 10:55am CST by Luke Adams

Now that the Bucks‘ season has come to an end, the Pistons are expected to formally seek permission to interview Milwaukee general manager Jon Horst for their president of basketball operations job soon, Marc Stein reports in his latest story at Substack. According to Stein, it’s not yet known whether the Bucks will grant Detroit permission to meet with Horst, a Michigan native who began his NBA career in the Pistons’ basketball operations department.

Elsewhere in his Substack article, Stein says that Jimmy Butler‘s future has become an “increasingly hot topic” around the NBA following the Heat‘s first-round playoff exit. Multiple rival teams have wondered if the Sixers will make a run at trading for Butler this offseason in an effort to reunite the star swingman with good friend Joel Embiid, per Stein. The Embiid/Butler 76ers took the eventual-champion Raptors down to the wire in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2019, but were broken up less than two months later when Butler was signed-and-traded to Miami.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Several executives around the NBA thought the Hornets would have concluded their head coaching search by now, but the team is taking a “very methodical” approach to the process and there’s no specific timeline to make a hire, Rod Boone writes in a mailbag for The Charlotte Observer. Boone’s mailbag also explores Charlotte’s draft strategy and how to revitalize the team’s brand, among other topics.
How much of a difference could it make for the Nets to have a healthy Ben Simmons and Dariq Whitehead next season? Net Income of Nets Daily explores that subject, citing league insiders who say Brooklyn has no plans to waive Simmons this offseason.
With Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby set to square off in the second round of the playoffs as members of the Pacers and Knicks, respectively, the Raptors will “catch some sass” for trading away both players this season, writes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Given how well the two forwards have played alongside backcourt stars – Tyrese Haliburton in Indiana and Jalen Brunson in New York – Koreen wonders if things went wrong in Toronto because the club couldn’t find the right “dynamic” guard to allow Siakam and Anunoby to play their proper roles.
James L. Edwards III of The Athletic previews next week’s draft combine from a Pistons perspective, identifying the players the club will have its eye on in the top five and naming a few prospects who could make sense at No. 53. Edwards views Alexandre Sarr as the player likeliest to be atop Detroit’s board, with Stephon Castle, Cody Williams, Donovan Clingan, and Matas Buzelis in the next tier.

Tim Connelly Among Potential Targets For Pistons’ President Opening

April 30th, 2024 at 6:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons would be interested in Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly if Connelly exercises the opt-out clause in his contract with Minnesota at the end of the season, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack post.

The dispute between current Timberwolves majority owner Glen Taylor and minority owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore could cause Connelly to weigh his future in Minnesota. Connelly signed a five-year, $40MM contract with the organization in 2022. The Pistons announced after their season ended that they would hire a president of basketball operations.

Here’s more info on the Pistons’ search for a new president, via Stein:

Detroit’s search is expected to ramp up during the second and third rounds of the playoffs, when more potential candidates will be available for interviews. Stein confirms that Bucks general manager – and former Pistons employee – Jon Horst will be a candidate if he is willing to move on from Milwaukee.
Mavericks consultant and former Jazz executive Dennis Lindsey is another name to watch for the basketball ops position, per Stein.
J.J. Redick, a candidate for the Hornets’ coaching vacancy, could get an interview if he’s interested in a front office job, Stein says. Pistons chairman Arn Tellem represented Redick in his days as a player agent.
The new president of basketball operations will have the ability to decide whether current GM Troy Weaver will remain in his position, be reassigned to a different front office role, or get cut loose, according to Stein. The new exec will also determine whether head coach Monty Williams, who just completed the first year of a six-year contract worth nearly $80MM, will remain in his position.