Doc Rivers is out as the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, according to a Sunday night ESPN report.
Rivers has one year remaining on his $40 million contract, and the Bucks will pay the remainder of that contract. The club and Rivers and discussing a possible move to the front office for 2026-27, according to sources.
The Bucks stumbled to a 32-50 record this season and missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
In parts of three seasons at the helm, Rivers’ teams posted a record of 97-103. He replaced Adrian Griffin in January 2024, who was fired after the team got off to a 30-13 start. With Rivers on the bench, Milwaukee finished the campaign with a 17-19 mark and lost in the first round of the NBA Playoffs to the Indiana Pacers.
Last season, the Bucks went 48-34 in the regular season but fell again to the Pacers in the first round of the postseason. The Pacers went on to reach the NBA Finals.
There was strife between the club and star Giannis Antetokounmpo this season. Antetokounmpo only played in 36 games in 2025-26 but insisted he was healthy enough to compete in games down the stretch of the campaign.
Rivers, 64, will be inducted as a coach into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in August.
He just completed his 27th year on an NBA bench and sports a current record of 1194-866. Rivers is sixth in victories on the all-time list and guided the 2007-08 Boston Celtics to an NBA Championship.
The 13-year NBA guard started his coaching career with the Orlando Magic in the 1999-2000 season. He earned NBA Coach of the Year honors in that first season, posting a 41-41 record.
Rivers coached in Orlando from 1999-2004, before jumping to the Celtics in the 2004-05 season. His tenure in Boston was the longest at nine years (2004-13) and was followed by stints with the Los Angeles Clippers (2013-20), Philadelphia 76ers (2020-23) and Bucks (2024-26).
The Chicago native began his NBA career in Atlanta and played for the Hawks from 1983-1991. He also competed for the Clippers (1991-92), New York Knicks (1992-95), and completed his tenure with the San Antonio Spurs (1994-96).
–Field Level Media
