Despite losing in the first round yet again, the Milwaukee Bucks opted to run it back with Doc Rivers, and one of the reasons was to try and keep Giannis Antetokounmpo happy. As reported by insider Marc Stein (subscription required) last summer, the Bucks hoped that Rivers' presence would be useful in convincing Giannis to commit to Milwaukee due to their strong working relationship. It did, but it might not for much longer if things keep trending downward.
Doc Rivers is certainly not blameless for Bucks' struggles
Is Doc Rivers the singular thing holding the Milwaukee Bucks back from being a title contender? No. The roster has been banged up already. Certain players are falling way below expectations. He's not coaching a surefire contender. However, he's at fault for plenty of it. The schemes are stale on both sides of the ball. There's no energy. The same issues are plaguing this team every night.
At some point, Rivers just can't keep saying that he's going to figure something out. He has to actually figure it out. Milwaukee's issues allowing opponents to waltz to the offensive glass and pound them in transition didn't pop up overnight. They've been going strong for 22 games. With a 9-13 record, everyone is still waiting. Yet, there's little optimism that an answer is near.
After losing to Indiana in the playoffs for the second consecutive year, it felt inevitable that the Bucks would cut ties with the coach and embrace a fresh voice. They had to. Mike Budenholzer was canned after just one first-round playoff loss (where injuries were also a factor). Not only have the Bucks lost two under Rivers, but they are currently out of the play-in. They are going in the opposite direction.
Simply, the Bucks kept Rivers because they wanted to keep Giannis happy. However, if they remain as sluggish as they have been lately, there's no way he stays. There were rumors that he was flirting with the idea of being traded this summer. If the Bucks continue sinking, what's stopping him from asking for a trade mid-season? Nothing. He wants to win. Milwaukee has done none of that under Rivers.
All of this goes back to the Milwaukee Bucks passing on Kenny Atkinson not once but twice to fill their head coaching vacancy post-Budenholzer. Even at the time, Atkinson was viewed as a much better fit for the Bucks than Adrian Griffin or Doc Rivers. Now, the Bucks are paying the price, and this might be just the beginning if Giannis' frustration grows. Change is needed. It's time to move on from Rivers and tackle these issues.
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