Bucks Rumors: Heat's Chris Quinn to Interview for HC Job amid Monty Williams Buzz

The Milwaukee Bucks have received permission to interview Miami Heat assistant coach Chris Quinn, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Shams Charania reported Monday on FanDuel TV that the Bucks "will pursue" Monty Williams, who the Phoenix Suns fired Saturday, as they search for a replacement for Mike Budenholzer. He said Williams will be one of Milwaukee's top candidates if he's ready to jump right back into coaching.

The Detroit Pistons also requested to interview Quinn, per Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes, though he wasn't among Charania's three reported favorites for that vacancy. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski included him among the contenders for the Toronto Raptors as well as they look to replace Nick Nurse.

Quinn has been with the Heat since 2014 when he joined the organization as a player development coach. The 39-year-old got his feet wet as an NBA head coach filling in for Erik Spoelstra for three games during the 2021-22 season.

ESPN's Kevin Arnovitz listed some of the most promising assistant coaches around the NBA last May and included Quinn in the group:

"Ask Heat insiders who most embodies the team's culture, and Quinn is commonly the answer (one league source affectionately referred to Quinn as Spoelstra's 'mini-me' for his temperament and organizational skills). He's an emotionally stable leader who inspires confidence in players, as revealed when he filled in for Spoelstra as head coach for a stint in March and April. Quinn received his first interview for a head-coach job with Indiana in 2020, while Washington gave him a look in 2021."

While he has resisted the overtures to leave Miami, the Bucks job might be tough to pass up for Quinn.

Granted, Milwaukee has some difficult decisions ahead.

Khris Middleton can opt out of his contract this summer, and the same applies to Jrue Holiday next year. Considering the players are 31 and 32, respectively, general manager Jon Horst will need to think long and hard about whether this can continue to be the core around Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, can enter free agency in 2025. The two-time MVP has signed extensions with the Bucks twice, but they can't assume anything about his preferences the next time around.

In a few years, Milwaukee's outlook could be drastically different, and that might be a consideration for somebody like Quinn as he makes his first foray into coaching a team.

Still, the opportunity to work with an Antetokounmpo-type star doesn't come along often.