Put any stock into the recent rumors that Doc Rivers may be retiring after the season? Bobby Portis says not so fast. As Portis rightfully pointed out during a recent appearance on Run it Back, coaches don't get paid when they are fired. Would Doc Rivers really walk away from all of the money on the last year of his deal? That would be shocking.
"I don't think Doc walking away from that $15, $16 [million]. You know what I'm saying? That's a lot of bread for you to walk away from... He'll be back next year, man."
.@BPortistime doesn't see Doc Rivers retiring 👀
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 9, 2026
At the end of the day, who's walking away from $15-16 million? pic.twitter.com/om5H1tEyCK
If Doc Rivers returns, the Bucks have an obvious move to make
Would Rivers be hurting if he walked away from the rest of the money on his deal? Nope. He's made a good chunk elsewhere during his career as a player, coach, and broadcaster. However, even with all of that, like Portis said, he has no reason to walk away from all that money. Especially not when all signs point to the Milwaukee Bucks letting him go this summer anyway.
It's not an understatement to say that the Doc Rivers era has been a disaster. Is it all his fault? No, not at all. Poor roster construction, injuries, and players falling short of expectations have all undoubtedly plagued this team. However, the noticeable decline in quality since Rivers came aboard has been the biggest elephant in the room for this team.
If Rivers says he's coming back next season, the Milwaukee Bucks must immediately tell him they are going in another direction. Whether the team runs it back with Giannis Antetokounmpo or opens the door for a rebuild, Rivers clearly isn't the man for either. After how poorly things have gone this year, it'd be shocking to see him back in town for another go-round.
If Rivers hasn't indicated retirement, the Bucks look worse
It would make some sense for the Milwaukee Bucks, at least from a management standpoint, to keep Rivers until the end of the season if they knew he was retiring. Then, they'd get off the hook for what they owe him next season. However, if Rivers hasn't given that indication, then it's baffling that he is still coaching this team.
Again, it's not all his fault, but this has been Milwaukee's worst season in a long time. They can't hang with some of the worst teams in the NBA most nights, and they are in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Coaches with resumes like that, especially following two first-round exits, typically don't have that kind of job security.
It's frustrating, but the Milwaukee Bucks will hopefully at least handle business this summer.
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