Nuggets' executive Arturas Karnisovas reportedly set to interview for Bucks' GM post

Denver Nuggets’ assistant general manager Arturas Karnisovas will interview for the vacant Milwaukee Bucks general manager position, according to The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Karnisovas, 47, has been general manager Tim Connelly’s right-hand man in the Nuggets’ front office over the past few seasons since he came to Denver from Houston, where he worked a number of different positions from 2009-13 and was the Rockets’ director of scouting before taking the assistant general manager post in Denver. Karnisovas was named the Nuggets’ assistant general manager and vice president of basketball operations in 2016.

According to Wojnarowski, the Nuggets granted the Bucks permission to interview Karnisovas for their vacancy which became available when former general manager John Hammond left the organization for the same title in Orlando on May 23.

If you’re searching for Karnisovas’ fingerprints within the Nuggets’ organization, look no further than the success Denver has had as of late when drafting European players.

Since Karnisovas arrived in Denver, the Nuggets have mined Europe of its draft assets and developed the likes of Nikola Jokic (drafted 41st overall in 2014), Jusuf Nurkic (drafted 16th overall in 2014) and Juancho Hernangomez (drafted 15th overall in 2016), all of whom have already significantly outperformed their draft slots. Karnisovas’ connections in Europe and abroad would be highly valued by any NBA front office.

Karnisovas will likely get heavy consideration from Milwaukee. He’s well respected around the league as one of the fastest-rising young executives, has an impressive international basketball pedigree that includes bronze medals with Lithuania in 1992 and 1996 and he was also named FIBA’s European Player of the Year in 1996. He’s also been very involved in USA Basketball since 2013 and has significant experience scouting in Europe and abroad.

The Bucks will also reportedly interview Indiana vice president of basketball operations Peter Dinwiddie, Memphis Grizzlies VP of player personnel Ed Stefanski and Atlanta Hawks adviser and former general manager Wes Wilcox. Currently, assistant general manager Justin Zanik, who will also reportedly get consideration as the Bucks’ general manager, is heading up the day-to-day operations in Milwaukee.

Karnisovas was the runner-up for the Brooklyn Nets’ general manager job a year ago, which ultimately went to Sean Marks.