Hiring Doc Rivers was the beginning of the end for the Giannis Antetokounmpo era in Milwaukee. Not all of the Bucks' many issues were on him, but once he took over as head coach, the vibes completely changed, and the losses started piling up. It eventually resulted in Giannis seeking a fresh start, which he now has in Miami. Based on him telling The Athletic writer Eric Nehm (subscription required) that "it's almost like being alive again" to play in Miami, it only rubs salt in Milwaukee's wounds.
Rivers era was a disastrous failure
No one should be shocked by this. The Milwaukee Bucks were about as dysfunctional as it gets over the last couple of years. Some of that falls on Giannis' shoulders, as his behind the scenes drama regarding a trade and often reportedly being late to team events were certainly problematic, but at the heart of it all is Doc Rivers, whose troublesome track record made the hiring all the stranger.
Say what you want about Adrian Griffin—he clearly had his flaws as well—but the Milwaukee Bucks were 30-13 when they fired him. The wins weren't pretty, but they were getting wins at least! Once Rivers took over, everything completely changed in terms of vibes and productivity, as the Bucks proceeded to go just 97-103 in his tenure and quickly unraveled.
One of the East's most fearsome teams quickly become a shell of themselves.
Bringing back Rivers for another go-round last season felt like the final nail in the coffin, and it was, with the team missing the playoffs, parting with their coach, and trading Giannis. Had they brought aboard a coach who could have perhaps rallied everyone together and held them accountable—someone like the man in charge now—all of this could have gone differently.
Bucks, Giannis should be happy to move on
Everyone involved should be happy that the Doc Rivers era is over and that everyone has moved on. Sure, the Milwaukee Bucks likely would have liked to run it back with Giannis to see what this team may look like under Taylor Jenkins, but the bridge had already been burned. It might end up being the best thing for both sides.
Giannis now has a chance to compete with the Miami Heat. Going from Doc Rivers to Erik Spoelstra is quite the upgrade in the coaching department, and it should only further fuel his fire. Meanwhile, the Bucks can retool with a surplus of draft capital and young players after landing quite the upgrade of their own in Taylor Jenkins.
No matter how ugly the divorce was, everyone should be eager to put the last couple of years behind them quickly.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks.
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