Milwaukee Bucks coach Terry Porter will not be back next season, the team's General Manager Larry Harris announced today. In his two seasons at the helm, Porter's Bucks have gone 71-93 and went to the playoffs in 2003-'04.

"Obviously, I am disappointed by the decision," Porter said. "However, I am grateful to Senator Kohl and Larry Harris for the opportunity they gave me."

The team also said it would honor the terms of the last year on Porter's three-year contract.

"The past six weeks have been consumed by my continued evaluation of our coaching situation and the basketball challenges going into the new season," said Harris. "I have concluded after much thought that we need to go in a new direction with respect to the head coaching position. My job is to make our team the very best it can be and that often means making difficult decisions such as this one.

"Terry did an admirable job for us. He is well respected within our organization and within the community. We fully expect that he will have other opportunities to coach at the NBA level, and we will support him wherever his career may take him."

Harris said the team plans to begin its search for a replacement immediately.