East Rumors: Bucks, Monty Williams, Pacers, Hornets

Bucks

The Bucks’ wide-ranging coaching search could be focused on Monty Williams, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.

“I would expect Monty Williams, just fired over the weekend in Phoenix,” Charania said on The Rally. “He’s a guy that I think Milwaukee is going to look into pretty aggressively.”

Williams is just one of a wide array of candidates, with a reported list that also includes former Raptors coach Nick Nurse, former Hornets coach James Borrego and ESPN analyst Mark Jackson, among many others.

Williams the Suns lost to the Bucks in six games in the 2021 Finals.

• We have more on Milwaukee’s search with a full list of candidate stories on our Bucks page.

Pacers

• The Pacers have not picked in the top four of the NBA Draft since they landed center Rik Smits with the No. 2 overall pick in 1988, as noted by Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star.
• There are whispers throughout the NBA that the Pacers could make another run at Suns center Deandre Ayton this offseason. Indiana signed Ayton to an offer sheet last summer, only to have the Suns match.
• Dopirak took a thorough look at the prospects the Pacers could consider in the event they don’t win the NBA Draft lottery and Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes. You can check it all out here at the Indy Star.

Hornets

• Which players should the Hornets target if they don’t land the No. 1 overall pick? Jeremy Grandison of Swarm and Sting examines here.

"I would expect Monty Williams, just fired over the weekend in Phoenix. He's a guy that I think Milwaukee is going to look into pretty aggressively."

NBA Insider @ShamsCharania updates us on the Bucks' search for a new head coach. pic.twitter.com/WzBruFUSHs

— The Rally (@TheRally) May 15, 2023