It has been an offseason of change for the Milwaukee Bucks, with Damian Lillard gone, Myles Turner signed, and plenty of moves around the edge of the roster, but one thing remains the same. Doc Rivers. On a new episode of The Kevin O'Connor Show, Yahoo Sports analyst Kevin O'Connor says he believes that Rivers is the biggest question mark for the Bucks.
"What type of system does he install? What does this team look like, where on paper this team should be up and down and play with tempo? Is Doc going to do that? Will Giannis embrace the system? Are we going to see point Giannis Antetokounmpo, or are we going to see a mixture of the other guys?
Rivers wasn't the top name for a lot of Milwaukee Bucks fans after they moved on from Adrian Griffin, but he is here to stay. For now.
Another disappointing season would see the end of Rivers in Milwaukee
After three consecutive first-round playoff exits, there are fair questions over the Bucks roster and franchise as a whole. Griffin was fired in January of 2024, with Rivers brought in soon after on a deal that pays him through the 2026-27 season. Another early playoff exit would raise serious questions and likely be the end for Rivers with the Bucks and potentially as an NBA head coach.
In terms of the roster, the Bucks have addressed their biggest need. They always struggled to compete with younger, quicker, and more athletic rosters, and they have moved in that direction this offseason.
The way they brought in Turner via moving on from Lillard was a surprise, but when 37-year-old Brook Lopez is moved on for a much younger and more athletic stretch five, it is an upgrade. Cole Anthony adds to a backcourt that is far more athletic and youthful than previous iterations of this Bucks team, while Jericho Sims' return just adds more shot blocking and defensive versatility in the frontcourt.
O'Connor spoke very positively about the Bucks and added, "If this team plays fast, I think they will be really good, and it wouldn't shock me if they were a true contender in the East, and to make the Finals, I wouldn't rule that out."
How Milwaukee uses Giannis will be a big factor in their success in the upcoming season. There have been talks of Rivers planning to use him more as the ball-handler and facilitator, with shooters around him to stretch the floor. Allowing Giannis to take the lead on offense could lead him to a third MVP award.
There is plenty of belief around the Bucks that they have built a roster that can compete in an Eastern Conference that is still very weak. Rivers has yet to fill Bucks fans with confidence, but a new roster with a new identity and system could unlock some untapped potential with this team.
Giannis and shooters are important; whether Doc Rivers implements that, we won't know until pre-season gets underway.