Best Potential Candidates to Replace Jim Boylan as Milwaukee Bucks Coach

Add the Milwaukee Bucks to the growing list of NBA teams needing to fill a coaching vacancy this summer.

And add Scott Skiles to the list of people that now-former Bucks interim coach Jim Boylan needs to avoid.

Boylan was ousted closing the season with a 22-28 record in relief of Skiles, who agreed to part ways with the franchise earlier this season. Boylan was also unable to secure a permanent position after serving as interim coach of the Chicago Bulls when Skiles was let go there during the 2007-08 season.

Don't be shocked if Milwaukee aims high on the coaching market. Skiles was brought in to bring some stability to the Bucks sideline in 2007 after Terry Porter, Terry Stotts and Larry Krystkowiak were each unable to man the position for longer than two seasons.

But in order to attract any notable names, the Bucks may need to first show their hand in free agency. Monta Ellis, Brandon Jennings, J.J. Redick and Mike Dunleavy could all potentially hit the market over the summer.

Of course, those players might also be hesitant to stick around without at least some semblance of certainty regarding who will be tasked with leading the franchise.

Needless to say, Milwaukee general manager John Hammond has some massive decisions to make in the coming weeks.

But in an effort to make his life a little easier, here are seven names worth consideration.

7. Patrick Ewing

Basketball seemed to come easily for Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing.

Through 17 seasons, he amassed the 24th-most rebounds (11,607), 18th-most points (24,815) and sixth-most blocks in league history (2,894 via Basketball-Reference.com).

Cracking the NBA's head-coaching ranks, though, has proved a far taller task for the seven-footer.

He has served in an assistant coach's role for eight seasons split between the Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets and, most recently, the Orlando Magic.

But Ewing lost his Orlando perch when then-coach Stan Van Gundy was let go, and Ewing opted to take a year off rather than coach the New York Knicks' D-League affiliate, the Erie Bayhawks (via Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com).

Part of his reasoning behind declining the Bayhawks job was his anticipation that some coaching jobs would open up this summer—which is precisely what has taken place.

He'd certainly be an intriguing mentor for Milwaukee's up-and-coming swat artist Larry Sanders, who finished with the second-best blocks average (2.83 per game) despite playing less than 28 minutes a night.

But there's a stigma surrounding longtime assistants who have not yet been granted a head coaching job. And Orlando's decision to hire Jacque Vaughn over Ewing may continue to haunt the Knicks legend as he heads back out on the job market this summer.

6. Maurice Cheeks

If the Bucks brass wants a more experienced option, then expect Maurice Cheeks to be on the radar.

Cheeks has twice held a head-coaching job, guiding both the Portland Trail Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers to the postseason. He amassed a 284-286 record over seven-plus seasons, racking up four 40-plus win seasons along the way.

He's spent the last four seasons on Scott Brooks' staff with the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he's played a pivotal role in the development of All-Star Russell Westbrook.

It's too early to tell which Milwaukee guards will remain with the franchise, but any of them would thrive under Cheeks' direction.

Prior to his coaching days, he logged 15 seasons as a player in the league. He had 13 playoff appearances on his resume and led the 1983 champion 76ers in assists (6.9 per game) and steals (2.3).

Cheeks is one of the few names not generating discussion in the Detroit Pistons' coaching search, but he is reportedly interested in once again filling the seat at the head of the table (via Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press).

5. Avery Johnson

A roller coaster ride doesn't even begin to describe Avery Johnson's 2012-13 season.

His Brooklyn Nets stormed out of the gate, amassing an 11-4 record through the end of November. He was rewarded with the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month award.

But he wouldn't have the chance to defend his title. Brooklyn lost five straight games to open the month of December, and Johnson was shown the door before the turn of the calendar year.

His coaching resume suggests that he won't be out of work for long.

He replaced Don Nelson on the Dallas Mavericks sideline near the end of the 2005-06 season and led his new club to a 16-2 record to close the season. The following season, Dallas won 60 games before falling to the Miami Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals.

A year later, the Mavericks won a franchise-best 67 games before being upset by the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.

During his Dallas days, Johnson became the quickest coach to reach the 150-win plateau in just 191 games (via NBA.com). He holds a career 254-186 record as a head coach and a 23-24 mark in the postseason.

Johnson prefers his clubs to play the role of aggressor on both ends of the floor—a potential fit for Jennings, Ellis and Sanders in that regard.

4. Brian Shaw

Brian Shaw has yet to make his head-coaching debut, meaning any potential strengths and weaknesses might be tough to sort out.

But he is one of the hottest coaching commodities in the league, thanks in no small part to years of service under the legendary Phil Jackson both on the floor and on the sidelines.

Shaw's 14-year playing career keeps him in tune with today's young stars, and he was once Kobe Bryant's recommendation to replace Jackson in L.A. (via Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated). When the Lakers handed Mike Brown the coaching reins, Shaw joined Frank Vogel's staff and helped transform the Indiana Pacers into an Eastern Conference power.

He's been an instrumental piece in the All-Star emergence of Paul George and helped transform Lance Stephenson from a walking headache into a valuable piece of Indiana's rotation.

Should the Bucks be inclined to pursue Shaw, they certainly won't be alone. He interviewed for three different head-coaching jobs last summer (Charlotte Bobcats, Trail Blazers and Magic) and even received a formal offer from the Bobcats, which he wisely declined.

Don't expect him to make a decision before Indiana's playoff run is over, but even then one may not come right away. There are rumblings that Jackson is interested in taking on a front-office role (with the Toronto Raptors reportedly eyeing him as their next team president, via Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com), and the chance to reunite with the Zen Master may be too tempting to pass up.

3. Mike Malone

If Shaw's the most recognizable assistant among casual fans, Golden State's Mike Malone may be the most identifiable one in basketball circles.

The defensive guru has helped Mark Jackson do the impossible, transforming the Warriors into a formidable defensive force. Prior to working his magic in the Bay Area, Malone orchestrated a similar metamorphosis with the New Orleans Hornets following a successful five-year stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Jackson's prominent perch earns him the most praise for Golden State's revival, but the more experienced Malone handles more of the X's and O's.

It's a question of when, not if, a head-coaching spot opens up for Malone.

But Milwaukee may present an intriguing opportunity for the career assistant.

The Bucks are already a strong defensive club, holding opponents to the fourth-lowest field-goal percentage this season. Milwaukee also has intimidating length across the frontcourt, and the Bucks bruisers aren't going anywhere barring a trade.

2. Kelvin Sampson

If Milwaukee's hoping for a reunion with its former assistant, current Houston Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson, it better be compiling some compelling arguments.

Sampson's not officially on the market yet, but the Oklahoma City Thunder could be making him available any day now.

The Charlotte Bobcats have no interest in waiting, as they're reportedly already asking for permission to speak with Sampson about their coaching vacancy (via Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle). The Philadelphia 76ers could also come calling in the coming weeks.

He paid his coaching dues in the college ranks, racking up 13 NCAA tournament berths in 14 seasons split between Oklahoma University and Indiana University. He was twice named the National Coach of the Year while with the Sooners, where he captured three Big 12 tournament titles.

But Sampson's generated his biggest NBA buzz for the way he handled the Rockets during Kevin McHale's absence in dealing with his daughter's tragic passing earlier this season. As acting coach, Sampson guided Houston to a 7-6 mark.

1. Stan Van Gundy

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, Stan Van Gundy headlines the list of Hammond's targets, with Sampson and Malone not far behind.

SVG has spent the past season away from the NBA, perhaps recovering from the exhaustive experience of Howard's lengthy departure from Orlando. And he's made it clear that he won't be rushing back to the NBA sidelines, opting to wait for a desirable position to open up.

Given his impressive track record and the incredibly awkward moments he had to endure with the Magic, he's certainly earned as much.

During seven full seasons split between the Magic and the Miami Heat, he compiled a 371-208 record. He also made a pair of conference finals appearances and led the Magic to the 2009 NBA Finals. His .641 winning percentage stands as the 15th-best mark in league history.

He's already coached Redick before, and Milwaukee is prepared to back up a Brink's truck to keep the sharpshooter in town. And Ersan Ilyasova could thrive in the stretch forward role that Rashard Lewis filled for Van Gundy in Orlando.

But is this the ideal job that Van Gundy's been waiting for?

It would certainly appear to be one of the more desirable vacancies this offseason, barring any further turns of the coaching carousel. Despite their late-season collapse, the Bucks were still a playoff team.

If Sanders, or rookie John Henson, can add some bulk over the offseason, then Van Gundy has his athletic screener for his pick-and-roll sets. And with the right free-agent decisions, Milwaukee could have the perimeter shooters that Van Gundy has succeeded with in the past.