The Milwaukee Bucks are officially moving on from Doc Rivers, closing the chapter on a turbulent three-year stretch that failed to deliver postseason success.
Rivers is out as head coach, with the organisation now set to begin its third coaching search in as many years, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Despite the departure, Milwaukee still owes Rivers an eight-figure salary for the 2026–27 season, and discussions are ongoing about a potential transition into an advisory role within the franchise.
The move comes after a disappointing tenure that saw Rivers post a 97–103 record across three seasons, including two first-round playoff exits and a year that ended without even reaching the postseason or play-in tournament. It marks a significant fall for a team that had been a consistent playoff presence, snapping a streak of nine straight appearances.
There were also deeper issues behind the scenes. Team sources indicated there was a season-long disconnect between Rivers and the locker room, with certain moments creating frustration among players throughout the year.
Rivers addressed the season’s struggles candidly following a loss that dropped Milwaukee to 32–50.
“[The season] didn’t go the way I wanted it to go, obviously,” Rivers said. “I always say I could do a better job. We could have had better health. We could have had all kinds of things. I’m not a big guy at looking back. All you can do is look forward. We did a lot of things to improve a lot of the young guys. Unfortunately, that was the road that kind of presented itself for us, and we did that.”
Rivers originally took over midway through the 2023–24 season, replacing Adrian Griffin despite the team holding a strong 30–13 record at the time. He finished that campaign 17–19 before leading Milwaukee to a 48–34 record the following season.
However, injuries to key stars, including Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, repeatedly derailed the team’s playoff hopes, with Antetokounmpo limited to just 36 games this past season.
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