The hiring of Jon Horst as general manager came following a particularly dysfunctional period of time for Bucks’ ownership.
After an excruciatingly drawn-out GM search, ownership balked at the opportunity to hire John Hammond’s heir apparent in assistant GM Justin Zanik, who had reportedly been hired the year before as the “GM-in-waiting” in preparation for Hammond’s departure.
Instead, ownership hired Director of Basketball Operations Jon Horst with about a week left before the 2017 NBA Draft.
Horst’s previous role in the organization at least meant he had already been involved in the preparations for draft night, but there can be no disputing that the timing of the move left him and the franchise in a less than ideal situation for their first draft night.