Former Director of Basketball Operations Jon Horst Hired as Bucks GM

The Milwaukee Bucks have hired director of basketball operations Jon Horst as their new general manager, the team announced.

Bucks owners Wes Edens, Marc Lasry and Jamie Dinan issued the following statement: “Our No. 1 priority is building a championship-caliber organization and we believe Jon is the right person to be our General Manager. 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."

ESPN's Marc Stein first reported the news Friday. 

According to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Bucks pegged Horst as their replacement for John Hammond—who filled the Orlando Magic's vacant GM position—following a "contentious ownership disagreement" during the search for a new general manager.

Specifically, Wojnarowski reported there was strong support within the organization for assistant general manager Justin Zanik—who has been in charge of the team's predraft process—to receive the promotion. 

Head coach Jason Kidd, Lasry and an owner with a minority stake were cited as those who backed Zanik over Horst. 

Before turning to internal candidates, the Bucks reportedly had their sights set on Denver Nuggets assistant general manager Arturas Karnisovas. However, the Nuggets preempted the Bucks' attempt to poach Karnisovas and promoted him to general manager on Wednesday. 

Horst, who joined the franchise as its director of basketball operations in 2008, will now take over as the Bucks' top front-office executive days before the draft. 

Milwaukee is scheduled to be on the clock at Nos. 17 and 48 overall on June 22. 

Horst will also have to navigate free agency and prepare for the possibility that big man Greg Monroe could decline his $17.8 million player option to test the open market.