MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 24: General manager Jon Horst of the Milwaukee Bucks speaks to the media about the dismissal of head coach Adrian Griffin prior to a game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Fiserv Forum on January 24, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst told reporters in a Wednesday press conference that he did not consult with players before dismissing head coach Adrian Griffin after just 43 games.

Horst did say that he spoke with players before shootaround Wednesday to discuss the decision.

Griffin was hired this offseason to replace fired head coach Mike Budenholzer. Despite a 30-13 start that put the Bucks in second place in the Eastern Conference, Milwaukee felt the need to make a midseason coaching change.

It's been widely reported that the Bucks will hire Doc Rivers to take over for Griffin. That move has not been made official yet by the team, and Horst said that he would not speak about Rivers Wednesday. For now, Joe Prunty is serving as the Bucks' interim head coach.

As for why the Bucks made the change, Horst called it a "difficult decision" but in essence said the team was not playing up to its lofty potential, especially on the defensive end.

Eric Nehm @eric_nehm

Jon Horst: "We have an elite offense...We're great in late game situations. Defensively, we have a talent group that can be better than what they've been thus far."

Eric Nehm @eric_nehm

Horst said part of this decision was trying to figure out this question, "How do we give this team the best resources to maximize this window?"

Eric Nehm @eric_nehm

Jon Horst: "We want to try to bring in a coach that can take us to the next level."

The Bucks haven't met expectations since winning the championship in 2021. Injuries befell the team in the 2021-22 season, leading to an Eastern Conference semifinals exit against the Boston Celtics.

The 2022-23 campaign was a bitter disappointment after the No. 1 seed Bucks became just the third NBA team in league history to lose to a No. 8 seed in the playoffs.

The Miami Heat did engineer a sensational run to the NBA Finals, but the Bucks obviously had higher aspirations. Budenholzer was let go after the season, and Griffin, then a Toronto Raptors assistant, was brought in.

Now Rivers will presumably take over as the Bucks look to chase down the East-leading Celtics, who lead the conference by three-and-a-half games.