The Milwaukee Bucks announced the hiring of Scott Skiles as their new head coach on Monday, four days after they fired coach Larry Krystkowiak following a disappointing 26-56 season. For Skiles, this move comes four months after he was fired as the Chicago Bulls head coach. Terms of the contract were not released, but it is reportedly a fully guaranteed four-year deal.

As reported by TICKER: 

“Scott is a proven NBA head coach who has shown an ability to win,” (GM John) Hammond said. “He was a passionate player at all levels of the game, and that thirst for success has served him well as a coach.”

Skiles was thought to be in the running for the New York Knicks coaching job, but his unstable relationships with Jamal Crawford and Eddy Curry (both former players under Skiles in Chicago) made that an unlikely destination. 

The disciplined and defensive-minded Skiles will try to help improve a young Milwaukee’s defense, which was among the worst in the league this season.

“There is an enormous depth of young talent on this team, and the future is promising,” Skiles said. I’m ready to work with (general manager John Hammond) and the entire organization to bring a winning team back to Milwaukee and Wisconsin, and its passionate fans.” 

Skiles is the fourth Milwaukee coach in the last five seasons. He faces the tough task of turning around a team that hasn’t had a winning season since the 2002-03 campaign.

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  Nick Kappel is a staff member for the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey.

  He can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network's Author Profiles