Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers shouts at a referee through the second half of an NBA basketball game against Brooklyn Nets, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Recent York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks don’t expect Doc Rivers back as their coach next NBA season, an individual acquainted with the situation said Sunday night.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no formal announcement about Rivers’ decision has been made.
There was some discussion about whether Rivers will stick with the organization in some capability. Those talks are ongoing, the person said.
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ESPN first reported that Rivers won’t be back as Milwaukee’s coach next season.
The news caps a tumultuous season by which Rivers was chosen to the Hall of Fame while leading a Bucks team that was amongst probably the most disappointing within the NBA. The Bucks went 32-50 amid a series of injuries, snapping a string of nine straight playoff appearances.
The 64-year-old Rivers had left little doubt about his future plans because the season wound down. He said after a 126-106 loss at Philadelphia on Sunday that “I feel you guys just about know” his intentions and that an announcement was expected soon.
“I actually have seven grandkids now and so they’re all 8 years and under,” Rivers had said about his future before an April 7 loss at Brooklyn. “And it kills me each time I miss grandparents’ day with each one in every of them in class. And it’s probably time to go see them more. So, I’ll allow you to work out the remaining.”
Rivers went 97-103 in 2 1/2 seasons with the Bucks. He owns a 1,194-866 overall record and overtook George Karl for sixth place on the profession wins list amongst NBA coaches earlier this season.
Only Gregg Popovich, Don Nelson, Lenny Wilkens, Jerry Sloan and Pat Riley have more coaching wins than Rivers.
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Bucks’ unsettled future
Rivers’ exit comes amid all styles of speculation regarding two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who led Milwaukee to its first title in half a century in 2021 and has set Bucks profession records in virtually every major statistical category.
Antetokounmpo’s status dominated league discussions because the trade deadline approached, but he wasn’t dealt. He since has been in a disagreement with team management over his injury status.
The last game Antetokounmpo played this season was on March 15. Antetokounmpo said within the closing weeks of the season that he was healthy and desired to play, because the Bucks continued to rule him out because of a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise. The NBA is investigating the matter.
Antetokounmpo had two prolonged absences because of right calf strains and ended up playing in only 36 games. Kevin Porter Jr., the Bucks’ second-leading scorer, appeared in only 38 games.
“It’s hard,” Rivers said Sunday. “I don’t remember guys being out like this, nevertheless it is smart. I haven’t had a variety of this. It’s no fun. Losing, I don’t give a crap what the explanations are, I’m just too competitive. It’s just no fun not winning. It just isn’t.”
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Injuries hindered Rivers’ tenure
Rivers took over the Bucks midway through the 2023-24 season after the firing of first-year head coach Adrian Griffin. Although the Bucks had gone 30-13 under Griffin, they’d posted some uncomfortably close wins over inferior teams and team officials believed a more experienced coach was needed to guide a roster that now featured seven-time all-NBA guard Damian Lillard, in addition to Antetokounmpo.
This move also represented a homecoming of sorts for Rivers, who played at Marquette before his 13-year NBA playing profession. His No. 31 college jersey hangs from the rafters at Fiserv Forum, the world that serves as the location for Bucks and Marquette home games.
However the Bucks backslid during Rivers’ tenure as they continually handled injuries to key players.
Milwaukee finished 17-19 under Rivers during that 2023-24 season, entered the postseason because the No. 3 seed within the Eastern Conference and lost to Indiana 4-2 within the opening round, with Antetokounmpo missing all the series because of a calf strain.
Last season, three-time All-Star wing Khris Middleton didn’t start playing until early December after recovering from offseason surgery to every of his ankles, and he got sent to Washington on the trade deadline. Lillard missed Milwaukee’s final 14 regular-season games because of deep vein thrombosis in his right calf, returned for Game 2 of the Bucks’ first-round playoff series loss to Indiana but tore his Achilles tendon two games later.
With an injured Lillard unable to play this season, the Bucks waived him and agreed to pay his remaining salary over the following five seasons. That opened up cap space for the Bucks to sign former Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner.
The roster overhaul didn’t work out.
“I personally have enjoyed the challenge,” Rivers said after Sunday’s game. “It didn’t go the way in which I wanted it to go, obviously. I all the time say I could do a greater job. We could have had higher health. We could have had every kind of things. But I’m not a giant guy in looking back. All you may do is look forward.”
Rivers won a title with Boston in 2008 and led the Celtics to Game 7 of the NBA Finals two years later, but he hasn’t advanced a team beyond the regional semifinals since. He owns a profession playoff record of 114-112.
This marks the primary full season by which Rivers has coached and posted a losing record since 2006-07, when he went 24-58 with Boston.
Rivers got here to Milwaukee after head coaching stints with the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers. He was working as a broadcaster for ESPN and ABC before the Bucks hired him.