Jon Horst named Bucks general manager

The search for the Milwaukee Bucks' next general manager took a late turn that on Friday brought an unexpected conclusion to a process that began May 23.

Bucks director of basketball operations Jon Horst was officially announced as Milwaukee's new general manager Friday evening. He will be introduced at a news conference at 10 a.m. Monday.

“I’m extremely grateful to our ownership group for their faith and trust in me,” Horst said in a statement. “Wes (Edens), Marc (Lasry) and Jamie (Dinan) have demonstrated a commitment to building a championship-caliber team, providing the necessary tools and resources, and I’m excited to execute their vision. In my new capacity, I’m looking forward to working with Jason Kidd and the coaching staff, along with our world-class performance team, to give our talented players the support they need to bring a championship to Milwaukee and the state of Wisconsin.”

Horst, 34, wasn't one of the six executives the team interviewed June 5-6 in New York. He also wasn't one of the three finalists the team brought to Milwaukee last week for further conversations.

After the withdrawal of Arturas Karnisovas, whom the Denver Nuggets promoted to their GM position Wednesday, it looked like Milwaukee's assistant general manager, Justin Zanik, was the last finalist remaining and in best position to take the job. However, on Thursday the Bucks continued their search by interviewing Horst.

“Our No. 1 priority is building a championship-caliber organization and we believe Jon is the right person to be our general manager,” the Bucks' three primary owners said in a statement. “He has been an integral part of basketball operations for the last nine years, and has helped advise us on every major basketball decision since we purchased the team. Jon is very talented, capable, organized and someone we have leaned on for his strategic thinking and ability to execute our vision."

Horst, who graduated from Rochester College in Michigan in 2006 with a degree in sports management, has been with the team since May 2008 when he was brought on by John Hammond, who had recently been hired as Milwaukee's GM. For the previous three years, Horst worked on the Detroit Pistons' basketball operations staff under Hammond.

Since arriving in Milwaukee, Horst has been an integral member of the front-office staff. He worked closely with Hammond with his impact and involvement growing over time.

Horst has been involved in team decisions big and small, including attending the NBA draft combine some years and being part of the team's draft room conversations as well as contract negotiations and personnel evaluation. Horst also has a strong handle on the Bucks' contract figures and salary-cap situation and is well-respected within the organization.

Following the Bucks' lengthy search, Horst will have to hit the ground running, though it should help that he's already knowledgeable on the Bucks and the challenges they'll face this off-season.

The NBA draft is Thursday and Milwaukee owns the 17th and 48th picks. Horst also will have to devise and execute a plan for free agency — including what to do with restricted free agent Tony Snell — before the new league year begins July 1.

There are also looming decisions that need to be made by centers Greg Monroe and Spencer Hawes. Each has a player option for next season, with Monroe owed about $17.9 million and Hawes about $6 million if they opt in. With Giannis Antetokounmpo's four-year, $100 million extension set to kick in this season, the Bucks project to be tight on salary-cap space.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, the Bucks are trying to pair Horst with an experienced veteran in the front office.

Horst's ascent to the general manager position comes, Wojnarowski reports, following a "contentious ownership disagreement" during the search, with "owner Marc Lasry, another top minority owner and Jason Kidd" all backing Zanik, but ownership and the team's decision-makers never reached a full consensus.

What this means for Zanik's future is unclear. He was brought on in 2016 as the assistant GM to Hammond and was tasked with leading the team's preparations for the NBA draft following Hammond's departure for the Orlando Magic.