Rivers will not be back as coach of the Bucks for next season after a dreadful 32-50 finish.
The Milwaukee Bucks are moving on from Doc Rivers, according to a Sunday night ESPN report. Rivers is out as head coach after parts of three seasons, and Milwaukee is now embarking on its third head coaching search in three years.
Rivers has one year left on his contract at roughly $40 million, and the Bucks will pay it in full. The two sides are reportedly in discussions about whether Rivers could transition into an advisory role within the organization for the 2026-27 season.
The move comes after a rough year in Milwaukee. The Bucks finished 32-50 and missed the playoffs entirely, snapping a streak of nine consecutive postseason appearances.
It's the first time the franchise has missed the postseason since 2015-16. Rivers finished his time in Milwaukee at 97-103 overall, with two first-round exits and now a missed postseason to show for three seasons on the bench.
A Dreadful Season In Milwaukee
Sources told ESPN there was a season-long disconnect between Rivers and the players, with specific instances that rubbed the locker room the wrong way. Rivers, for his part, was measured when speaking after Sunday's loss to Philadelphia.
"It didn't go the way I wanted it to go, obviously," Rivers said. "I always say I could do a better job. All you can do is look forward."
Rivers took over in late January 2024 after the Bucks made the surprising decision to fire Adrian Griffin, who had gone 30-13 before being let go. Rivers went 17-19 to close that season and lost to Indiana in the first round. In 2024-25, Milwaukee went 48-34 in the regular season before falling to the Pacers again in the first round.
Injuries were a factor throughout his tenure. Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo both missed time in the 2024 and 2025 playoffs. This season, Giannis played just 36 games, though he reportedly insisted he was healthy enough to play down the stretch, creating visible tension between the star and the organization.
Rivers' Legacy In The NBA
The Bucks haven't won a playoff series since 2022 and haven't won a championship since 2021, when Mike Budenholzer led them to the title before being let go in 2023.
But ultimately, none of this erases what Rivers has accomplished in his career. He's sixth all-time among NBA coaches in regular-season wins and fourth all-time in career playoff victories, finishing with a record of 1,194-866 over 27 seasons.
He won a championship with the 2007-08 Boston Celtics and will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame as a coach this August.
Milwaukee gave him a real chance. The roster didn't hold up, relationships frayed, and now the Bucks are starting over again. It's a tough situation for a franchise that not long ago looked like a perennial contender.