A top option may not want the gig

Change could be on the horizon for the Milwaukee Bucks, but rather than with the focus on players, they could instead be losing a key cog in the front office.

Rumors have been swirling that Bucks general manager Jon Horst could very well leave the team to head home to lead the charge for the Detroit Pistons, who are seeking a new leading voice. Veteran NBA insider Marc Stein (subscription required) reported that the Pistons will soon extend an invite for the Detroit native to interview for their head of basketball operations position.

Nothing is certain, but it feels like the Bucks could very well lose Horst this off-season, putting them in a tough spot to find a new general manager who can keep this team’s title hopes intact. The name that many fans immediately pointed to was Bob Myers, who helped orchestrate several title teams with the Golden State Warriors but left the position last year, currently working at ESPN.

Myers could very well be the most desirable name on the market, but Milwaukee Bucks fans shouldn’t get their hopes up about getting him in the front office.

Why Bucks fans shouldn’t get their hopes up for potential Jon Horst replacement

When Myers stepped down in Golden State at the conclusion of last season, he didn’t mince words as to why he was leaving after so many years of historic success.

“Any professional general manager or coach requires complete engagement, complete effort, 1,000 percent. If you can’t do it, then you shouldn’t do it, and so, that’s the answer to the question of why. I can’t do that to our players. I can’t do it to Joe [Lacob]. I can’t do it to Peter [Guber]. Really, I can’t do it to myself, and that’s the question I’ve been wrestling with.”

“I’ve only known how to do things one way my whole life, [which is] all the way, and it doesn’t feel right when I can’t give it everything, and that’s what it takes to do what we’ve done over the last 12 years.”

That doesn’t sound like someone who is actively looking for another general manager gig. It sounds like someone who stepped away from one of the most successful dynasties in NBA history because he needed a break, and understandably so. Working in an NBA front office is a tough gig day in and day out, with constant pressure always being applied.

Could Myers have a change of heart and try to get back into the chair soon? It’s certainly possible, as he wouldn’t be the first professional to do so; look at Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. However, unless he publicly expresses that desire, Bucks fans shouldn’t get their hopes up about the team bringing in Bob Myers if Jon Horst decides to bolt.

It would certainly be something if the Bucks once again pulled someone off of ESPN’s panel, having done the same with Doc Rivers earlier this season. Yet, it just seems incredibly unlikely at this point.

First and foremost, Horst has to make a decision on his future with the Milwaukee Bucks, which will likely come very soon. It will be rather telling whether or not the Bucks grant Horst permission to interview with the Pistons. If they reject it, it would signal that they want to keep him. If they allow it, they could very well be open to the idea of getting a new leader.

Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.