After Difficult Year, Doc Rivers Reflects On Coaching Future And Family Priorities
The Bucks have reached 'dumpster fire' status and Doc Rivers sounds like he wants out.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers sounds fed up with the grind in Milwaukee.
What was supposed to be a contending season has instead devolved into frustration, so much so that Rivers sounds like a man with one foot out the door.
The Bucks sit at 31-47 and are still searching for answers. At 64, Rivers now seems to be weighing whether the job is worth the toll.
Doc Rivers speaks during a press conference for the 2026 Inductees to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Asked directly about his future Tuesday ahead of a matchup with the equally struggling Brooklyn Nets, Rivers didn’t dismiss the idea of stepping away.
"I won’t answer that, but I have grandkids that I want to see. I’ll put it that way," Rivers said. He expanded on that thought, pointing to how the job has taken time away from his family.
"I have seven grandkids now… it kills me every time I miss grandparents day… It’s probably time to go see them more," he added.
If that wasn’t telling enough, Rivers’ message behind closed doors painted an even bleaker picture.
According to ESPN insider Shams Charania, Rivers delivered a candid speech during a team meeting in early March, acknowledging that the season had fallen short of expectations.
"Look at my resume. Google me. I took teams to the playoffs and championship that weren’t supposed to be there. I thought this was one of them."
Milwaukee has been plagued by inconsistency, defensive lapses and lingering questions about its direction.
At this stage of his career, grinding through a sub-.500 season while dealing with internal pressure carries far less appeal than it once might have. Then there’s the Giannis Antetokounmpo situation, with the team holding out its "injured" superstar while he pushes to get back on the floor.
The Bucks may still believe they can fix what’s gone wrong. Their head coach, however, sounds like someone already thinking about what comes next.
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