Bucks HC Doc Rivers Gets Honest About Taurean Prince's Neck Injury

Oct 28, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA: Milwaukee Bucks wing Taurean Prince (12) reacts to a foul call by referee Brandon Schwab in the second quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Beyond starting point guard Kevin Porter Jr.'s meniscus tear and nine-time All-NBA power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo's occasional left knee patellar tendinopathy issues, the Milwaukee Bucks have been relatively healthy to start their 2025-26 season.

After a 126-110 Emirates NBA Cup victory against the Chicago Bulls on Friday night, the Bucks have improved to a 6-3 record on the year. It's an encouraging start for a club whose roster-building around Antetokounmpo has been questioned this season.

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Now, one of Milwaukee's key 3-and-D cogs finds himself in an unenviably dubious state. Small forward Taurean Prince has incurred a neck strain. He sat out the Chicago game, and could be on the shelf indefinitely.

When asked by Eric Nehm of The Athletic about Prince's status, head coach Doc Rivers offered up a frank take on Prince's recovery timeline.

Asked Doc Rivers what they are expecting for a timeline with Taurean Prince’s neck strain.

Rivers: “We don’t know yet. He’s doing MRI work and doing a lot of stuff, so we’ll find out.” https://t.co/UwuLP78jqT

— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) November 7, 2025

“We don’t know yet," Rivers said. "He’s doing MRI work and doing a lot of stuff, so we’ll find out.”

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A 6-foot-6 Baylor product, Prince first signed a minimum deal with the Bucks as a free agent in the summer of 2024.

Bucks management envisioned Prince as a backup to rapidly aging former All-Star small forward Khris Middleton, but Middleton's inconsistent availability and declining defense earned Prince a temporary promotion over him.

Milwaukee general manager Jon Horst flipped Middleton's bloated contract to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kyle Kuzma, and Prince lost his rotational spot.

Prince was brought back on a minimum two-year, $7.1 million deal, and now he and Kuzma have both been shifted into new roles as bench cogs for a younger, faster, more 3-point-heavy Bucks offense.

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Kevin Porter Jr. was Rivers' Day 1 pick to start at the point (although he's missed much of the season with multiple injuries, and is out for several more weeks), while Rivers opted to start Gary Trent Jr. and AJ Green along the wing.

The longer Prince is out, the more Rivers will have to play new free agent addition Amir Coffey. Coffey has gotten off to a choppy start on offense, but has been an assertive presence on the other end of the court.

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