{"id":188835,"date":"2026-04-13T16:56:52","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T20:56:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=188835"},"modified":"2026-04-13T18:33:39","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T22:33:39","slug":"bucks-ready-to-embrace-rebuild-following-doc-rivers-departure-who-is-the-best-hc-candidate-to-lead-them-into-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/04\/13\/bucks-ready-to-embrace-rebuild-following-doc-rivers-departure-who-is-the-best-hc-candidate-to-lead-them-into-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Bucks Ready to Embrace Rebuild Following Doc Rivers Departure, Who Is the Best HC Candidate To Lead Them Into Future"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Milwaukee Bucks<\/a> have been one of the most successful NBA franchises in the 2020s. However, the Bucks are now looking for their fourth coach this decade after parting ways with Doc Rivers<\/a>, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.<\/p>\n

“Doc Rivers is departing as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell ESPN,” Charania tweeted late last night<\/a>. “After a 32-50 season, the Bucks will embark on their third coaching search in the last three years.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Since the beginning of the 2019-20 season, Milwaukee owns the third-best record in the<\/a> NBA<\/a> at 340-215. However, this season was an utter disaster due to injuries and an inconsistent offense. Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/a> was limited to 36 games, and starting point guard Kevin Porter Jr. only appeared in 38, while Myles Turner<\/a> was a major disappointment in his first season with the Bucks.<\/p>\n

Bucks Ready to Embrace Rebuild Following Doc Rivers’ Departure, Who Is the Best HC Candidate To Lead Them Into the Future<\/h2>\n

Milwaukee finished in 11th place in the East with a 32-50 record, marking the franchise’s worst record since 2013-14. It also marks their first losing season in 10 seasons and snaps a nine-year playoff streak.<\/p>\n

With Antetokounmpo out, the Bucks didn’t have a go-to scorer or an offensive creator. So, it is no wonder that the Bucks struggled offensively, though 10 players did average double-figures on the season.<\/p>\n

In addition, Charania reported a disconnect between<\/a> Rivers and the Bucks, including instances that annoyed the locker room. Rivers was 97-103 in two-plus seasons with the Bucks, along with 3-8 in the postseason. He will get his full 2026-27 salary, estimated at around $10 million, and may remain with the organization in an advisory role. However, The Athletic reported that the 64-year-old may choose to take a break.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have truly loved my time in Milwaukee,\u201d\u00a0Rivers said in a statement from the team<\/a>.\u00a0\u201cComing back to where I got my start, to a city that has always embraced me, has been a privilege. I am disappointed that things did not turn out the way any of us hoped, but I am deeply grateful for this experience, the relationships built and unwavering support from our fans and the community. Milwaukee will always mean a lot to me, and this chapter will hold a special place in my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

Milwaukee averaged 110.6 points, the second-lowest in the league, and was outscored by 6 points per game. Moreover, the Bucks ranked in the bottom third in offensive rating, as they were the league’s worst offensive rebounding team and played at a below-average pace.<\/p>\n

The Bucks also struggled on defense. The Bucks were 26th in defensive efficiency because they struggled to defend the 3-point line and didn’t force many turnovers.<\/p>\n

\u00a9 Kyle Ross,\u00a0<\/a> Imagn Images<\/p>\n

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Is Taylor Jenkins The Best Candidate For The Bucks<\/h3>\n

Milwaukee is expected to undergo significant roster changes in 2026-27, starting with the likely trade of Antetokounmpo. The Bucks have 13 players for next season with a cap hit of $158.5 million, which projects to at least $6.4 million in cap space.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don’t know, it’s not up to me anymore,\u201d Antetokounmpo told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel after the Bucks’ season officially ended<\/a>. \u201cIt’s not up to me. We’ll see.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Antetokounmpo<\/a> has two years left on his contract, though 2027-28 is a player option. While Antetokounmpo disclosed that he hasn’t been offered an extension, he did tell Jim Owczarski of the Journal-Sentinel<\/a> that he would not necessarily turn it down.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo sign? A contract? No,\u201d Antetokounmpo said. \u201cBut, we\u2019ll see when we get there. Until we get to October, it\u2019s eight months, seven months. It\u2019s been a long time. But somebody has to offer it to you for you to sign. I haven\u2019t been offered an extension. So if that is on the table, then I will try to make the best decision for my family and me. But if it\u2019s not on the table, then I have to focus on, like, how can I prove my worth and get on the floor and do what I do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Bucks do have some flexibility. Five players have player options, and Andre Jackson\u2019s contract is a club option that won\u2019t be exercised. In addition, Pete Nance\u2019s $2.49 million is nonguaranteed.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis Jr., AJ Green, and Turner are also potential trade candidates. The Bucks do have two 2026 draft picks: a first-round and a second-round pick.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, it is likely the Bucks could go through a rebuild. Former Memphis Grizzlies<\/a> head coach Taylor Jenkins<\/a> has been identified as a top candidate along with a few assistants, per ClutchPoints<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Ranking The Candidates Thus Far<\/h4>\n
1. Taylor Jenkins<\/h5>\n

Taylor Jenkins<\/span><\/a> makes a lot of sense for the Bucks. He did a solid job in his six seasons with Memphis, dealing with a rebuild and Ja Morant. He had a 250-214 record with the Grizzlies, with four winning seasons and three playoff appearances, going 9-16 in the postseason.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jenkins is familiar with Milwaukee’s organization, serving as an assistant during the 2018-19 season. The Bucks won 60 games that year and reached the Eastern Conference finals. He is also known for being a capable developer of young talent, a strong locker room presence, and modern schemes.<\/p>\n

Jenkins is known as a defensive coach whose teams play hard and thrive on creating turnovers. The Grizzlies finished ranked in the top-10 in defensive rating in three of the 41-year-old’s six campaigns in Memphis. However, there are questions regarding his half-court offense and in-game adjustments.<\/p>\n

2. Darvin Ham, Bucks Assistant<\/h5>\n

Ham does have head coaching experience, posting a 90-74 record with the Lakers from 2022-24. Ham guided the Lakers to two playoff appearances, including a Western Conference finals appearance in 2023. The 52-year-old is also extremely familiar with the Bucks organization, having spent three years in Milwaukee as a player and six of the last eight seasons with the team.<\/p>\n

Ham is known for his leadership and communication ability as a defensive coach. His teams generally play with physicality at the point of attack, emphasizing rim protection. He also gets high marks for player development and locker room management. Additionally, he has won championships as a player and assistant.<\/p>\n

However, Ham has struggled with overly rigid schemes and inconsistent rotations, leading to frequent lineup changes. His teams have struggled offensively, and he is not the greatest at in-game adjustments.<\/p>\n

3. Chris Quinn, Heat Assistant<\/h5>\n

Quinn played six seasons in the NBA and has been mentioned for several head coaching jobs in the past. The 42-year-old has been on Erik Spoelstra’s staff since 2014, specializing in player development in his first six years. He is also known for being a strong communicator and a defensive coach who was promoted to associate head coach by Spoelstra at the beginning of the 2025-26 season.<\/p>\n

4. Sam Cassell, Celtics Assistant<\/h5>\n

Cassell is an NBA lifter, having played 15 seasons in the Association, including four years with the Bucks. He has been an assistant coach since retiring as a player in 2008. He has four NBA championship rings and is known for developing guards and for his strong communication skills. The 56-year-old has been a head coaching candidate for the past several years.<\/p>\n

5. Micah Nori, Timberwolves Assistant<\/h5>\n

Nori was one of the hottest coaching candidates last season, along with Quinn.\u00a0 Nori, who has been an assistant coach since 2009, does have head coaching experience on an interim basis — the Timberwolves reached the 2024 Western Finals with him at the helm, going 9-7 in the playoffs. He is known as a modern offensive guru specializing in tactical sharpness, communication, and adaptability.<\/p>\n

6. Tom Thibodeau<\/h4>\n

Thibs is an NBA lifer with extensive head-coaching experience. In 13 campaigns as a head coach, the 68-year-old owns a 578-420 record overall and a 48-55 mark in the playoff contests. He has led his teams to two conference finals.<\/p>\n

While Thibodeau is a long-shot to get the Bucks job, he is expected to be a candidate when several other jobs open up, he would provide the Bucks with a defensive identity. Thibs is a highly structured coach who demands accountability. He also has a reputation for elevating role players.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Milwaukee Bucks have been one of the most successful NBA franchises in the 2020s. However, the Bucks are now looking for their fourth coach this decade after parting ways with Doc Rivers, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. “Doc Rivers is departing as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell ESPN,” Charania tweeted late last […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3146,"featured_media":189093,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,5,2,32,16,15,21,62,3],"tags":[50428,190,49229,2207,3840,215],"class_list":["post-188835","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-celtics","category-featured","category-grizzlies","category-heat","category-bucks","category-timberwolves","category-nba","category-news","tag-devin-ham","tag-doc-rivers","tag-micah-nori","tag-sam-cassell","tag-taylor-jenkins","tag-tom-thibodeau"],"modified_by":"Daniel Benjamin, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188835","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3146"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=188835"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188835\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":189109,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188835\/revisions\/189109"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/189093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=188835"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=188835"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=188835"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}