Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers suggested he might retire soon, citing his desire to spend more time with his grandchildren. The 64-year-old made the comments before his team's 96-90 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. Rivers, who will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in August, has one year left on his contract.
Rivers addressed questions about his coaching future after the Hall of Fame announcement. Speaking to reporters, he said, 'I won't answer that, but I have grandkids that I want to see. I'll put it that way. And so I'll let you figure it out from there. I have seven grandkids now and they're all eight years and under and it kills me every time I miss Grandparents' Day with each one of them in school. It's probably time to go see them more, so I'll let you figure out the rest.' (via HoopsHype). The remarks have fueled speculation about his tenure with the Bucks, whose record fell to 31-48 after the defeat in Brooklyn. Marc Stein reported on Sunday that the induction could facilitate Rivers leaving Milwaukee or shifting roles, with former Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins as a potential replacement. Rivers plans to meet with Bucks ownership and general manager Jon Horst to discuss his future. He previously served as both coach and lead executive for the first four years with the Los Angeles Clippers. Horst praised Rivers in interviews with The Athletic and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, calling him an 'unbelievable' partner multiple times. 'Doc did his absolute best to keep the train on the rails as long as possible,' Horst said. He added that he has enjoyed working with Rivers and they will resolve the matter quickly, though he declined to comment on the contract specifics.