The Milwaukee Bucks are anticipating a potential parting or role change for coach Doc Rivers following a disappointing 2025-26 season, according to reports. Rivers, recently inducted into the 2026 Basketball Hall of Fame class, faces uncertainty as the team misses the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Taylor Jenkins has emerged as a top replacement candidate.
Doc Rivers earned a spot in the 2026 Basketball Hall of Fame class announced on Saturday, capping a career that includes a 2008 championship with the Boston Celtics. However, his tenure with the Bucks appears shaky. Marc Stein reports an anticipation of a parting or job restructuring after the team's struggles in the 2025-26 campaign. Rivers assumed the role mid-2023-24 season after Adrian Griffin's dismissal despite a 30-13 start, but posted a 17-19 record that year and saw the Bucks exit the playoffs in five games against the Indiana Pacers the following season despite 48 wins. This year, injuries like Damian Lillard's torn Achilles—leading to Myles Turner's arrival—and other issues have left them with a 17-19 record even with Giannis Antetokounmpo on the court, failing to rebound, defend, or manage turnovers and free throws effectively. They will miss the postseason for the first time since 2016. Bucks governor Wes Edens stated that Antetokounmpo will be extended or traded this offseason, signaling major roster shifts. Rivers remains under contract through next season, with forward Bobby Portis noting the substantial payout makes retirement unlikely. The team may shift him to a front office position instead of firing him. Former Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins tops the replacement list, per Stein. Jenkins served as an assistant under Mike Budenholzer in Atlanta and briefly in Milwaukee, providing familiarity amid expected competition for his services.
