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To the shock of the NBA world, former Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, and Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers was reportedly hired by Milwaukee Bucks following the firing of Adrian Griffin, who was in his first season with the team.
Despite the fact that the Bucks currently sit second in the NBA’s Eastern Conference with a record of 30-13, the organization relived Griffin of his duties prior to the NBA’s de-facto midseason point which is the All-Star break.
Griffin, who was in just his first season as the team’s head coach, will now be replaced by veteran Doc Rivers, who was last in Philadelphia with the 76ers from 2020 to 2023.
According to reports, it turns out that Rivers was previously serving as an “informal consultant” to Griffin before his firing, as Bucks brass — who organized a meeting between the two coaches in Las Vegas earlier this season — believed that Rivers would “offer Griffin advice and guidance on how to navigate his first NBA season with high expectations and a championship-caliber team.”
Given that Rivers has now been hired as the Bucks’ coach, questions will certainly be asked about the conversations he had with both Bucks’ executives and Griffin.
The hiring of Doc Rivers was been widely mocked among NBA circles as the former NBA champion (16 years ago in 2008 with the Boston Celtics) has spent much of the last decade becoming known for his unfortunate habit of choking playoff series that his team is leading.
Given the acquisition of Damian Lillard during the offseason, the championship expectations surrounding the Bucks this season were perhaps greater than ever, which undoubtedly contributed to the franchise’s decision to fire Griffin after just 43 games.
At the time of Rivers’ hiring, the Bucks have the third-shortest odds to win this season’s NBA title, trailing only the defending champion Denver Nuggets and the Boston Celtics.