Doc Rivers Hired as Milwaukee Bucks Head Coach

Earlier today it was announced that one-time NBA Coach of the Year and three-time NBA All-Star Game head coach Doc Rivers is finalizing a deal to become the next coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. This move comes after the Bucks fired their rookie head coach Adrian Griffin this past Tuesday. Griffin has coached the Bucks to a 30-13 record through 43 games this season and while there have been numerous signs that pointed to the fact that he was not the man for the job long-term, the main reason for his firing was that he has never seemed to gain the full trust of his star players such as power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo or point guard Damian Lillard or the Milwaukee Bucks front office. 

While it may seem on paper like the firing of Griffin is insane considering he has won nearly 70% of his games coached this year, between losses the Bucks have had this season that should not have had such as getting blown out by the Atlanta Hawks early in the season or getting outplayed by a much younger and less experienced Indiana Pacers team in the in-season tournament after assistant veteran coach Terry Stotts resigned earlier this season, it was pretty clear a new coaching staff would come to Milwaukee soon enough. Rivers brings with him decades of coaching experience and a resume that includes being the head coach of the Orlando Magic from 1999-2003, the Boston Celtics from 2004-2013, the Los Angeles Clippers from 2013-2020, the Philadelphia 76ers from 2020-2023, helping bring a championship to Boston in 2008 along alongside NBA great point guard Rajon Rondo and NBA Hall of Fame teammates Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett, being the NBA Coach of the Year in 2000 after his first year with the Magic, and being picked to be the NBA All-Star Game head coach in 2008, 2011, and 2021. 

There is no doubt that Doc is qualified, but the question is: Is he the right man for the job? Only time will tell as the Bucks will no doubt have their work cut out for them in this year’s postseason as they will have to get past teams in the Eastern Conference such as the Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, but most notably, the loaded roster of the Boston Celtics and even if they can outplay all of those teams, they will still have to beat the best team out of the Western Conference in the NBA Finals to be crowned 2024 NBA Champions. Rivers will most likely bring other coaches with him to Milwaukee to join his new coaching staff, but the only one named so far that seems probable is Dave Joerger, who has been an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies from 2007-2013, head coach for the Memphis Grizzlies from 2013-2016, head coach for the Sacramento Kings from 2016-2019, and most recently an assistant coach from 2020-2023 under Doc Rivers in Philadelphia.