Milwaukee Bucks' New Head Coach: Doc Rivers reportedly engaged in discussions hours after Adrian Griffin firing

The Milwaukee Bucks surprised many by firing coach Adrian Griffin on Tuesday after just 43 games. Hours after Griffin’s unexpected dismissal, former NBA champion Doc Rivers is reportedly engaged in discussions to be the Bucks’ new coach.

Griffin, 49, was in his first season as a head coach after spending 16 years as an assistant coach. He reportedly interviewed for 14 different head coaching positions over his last 13 years as an assistant before being hired by Milwaukee this past offseason.

Griffin led the Bucks to a respectable 30-13 record (.698), good for second in the Eastern Conference. However, their defense has been an area of concern all season, as they rank just 22nd in defensive rating (116.8). In contrast, they finished fourth in defensive rating last season (110.9).

Thus, it appears that Milwaukee would prefer to enter the 2024 NBA playoffs with a more proven veteran coach.

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the franchise is “planning to quickly pursue a small pool of accomplished and available veteran head coaches — with Doc Rivers as a top target.” Wojnarowski added that “the Bucks have reached out to Rivers and are in conversations about the franchise's coaching job.”

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Is Doc Rivers a good fit to be the Milwaukee Bucks’ next coach?

Doc Rivers, 62, has 24 years of head coaching experience with four franchises (Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, LA Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers). He has made two NBA Finals appearances (2008 and 2010), winning one championship (2008).

However, over the past decade, his playoff success has waned, and he has garnered a reputation for coaching teams that fall short of expectations.

Rivers was fired by Philadelphia in May after three seasons. He failed to lead the team, led by superstar center Joel Embiid, past the second round all three years despite consistently facing title expectations.

Nonetheless, through 24 seasons, Rivers has a notable 1,097-763 (.590) coaching record and is revered by many around the league. So, most would probably agree that he is qualified to helm another title contender like Milwaukee.

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Despite unexpected firing, Adrian Griffin grateful for opportunity with Bucks

Following his unexpected firing, Adrian Griffin spoke with Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes on Tuesday, reflecting on his brief tenure as Bucks coach.

Griffin remained grateful, highlighting how the opportunity helped him fulfill a lifelong dream. He also touched on his satisfaction with his coaching staff’s early-season accomplishments.

“I feel good about the job we did. I appreciate my coaching staff for all their hard work,” Griffin said.

“I always wanted to be a head coach in this league. I couldn't have asked for a better roster. I got to coach Giannis [Antetokounmpo], Dame [Lillard], Khris [Middleton], Brook [Lopez]. Dream come true. Hopefully, I get another shot at it, but overall, I'm just thankful.”

It remains to be seen if Griffin will get another head coaching opportunity. However, at the very least, he should be able to land another assistant coaching gig.

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