Bucks Fire Doc Rivers After Historically Disappointing 32-50 Season

The Milwaukee Bucks are officially moving on from head coach Doc Rivers, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania.

"BREAKING: Doc Rivers is departing as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell ESPN. After a 32-50 season, the Bucks will embark on their third coaching search in the last three years," Charania tweeted.

BREAKING: Doc Rivers is departing as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell ESPN. After a 32-50 season, the Bucks will embark on their third coaching search in the last three years. pic.twitter.com/s6YZXKcTi5
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 13, 2026

The move comes on the heels of a disappointing 32-50 campaign that saw the franchise miss the NBA Playoffs and the Play-In Tournament for the first time in a decade.

Rivers leaves the Bucks with a 97-103 total record over parts of three seasons. While the veteran coach was recently inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame, his regular-season success did not translate and the fit no longer made sense for the Bucks.

Key Takeaways from the Rivers Era

Despite the high-profile pairing of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, the Bucks suffered consecutive first-round exits under Rivers in 2024 and 2025 and could not capitalize in 2026.
Injuries plagued Rivers' tenure, especially this season. Antetokounmpo was healthy for only 36 games during the 2025-26 season. That limited the Bucks significantly and Rivers was unable to recover.
It appeared that there was a disconnect between Rivers and his players throughout the season, with internal frustrations mounting as the team slid to the No. 11 seed in the Eastern Conference.

What’s Next for Milwaukee?

The Bucks will now look for another head coach, but this time around, they may be looking for a different type of candidate.

League sources suggest Rivers may not leave the organization entirely. There is a chance that he could transition into an advisory role within the Bucks' front office this offseason.
Former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins has already emerged as a primary target for General Manager Jon Horst. Jenkins coached the Grizzlies for six seasons and made the playoffs three times and has a .540 winning percentage.

Financial Fallout

The Bucks will be responsible for the remainder of Rivers' salary for the 2026-27 season. This is expected to add another layer of complexity to an offseason where the Bucks have to figure out what direction they want to move in moving forward.

With Antetokounmpo possibly requesting a trade in the offseason and a new coach coming to town, it's very possible that the Bucks will have a completely new identity in the fall when the 2026-27 season begins, which would start a new era for the franchise.