Doc Rivers on Hot Seat as Bucks Eye Taylor Jenkins

Merlin sees the Doc Rivers era in Milwaukee wobbling. Per Marc Stein the Bucks and Rivers "could be heading for some sort of parting or job restructuring" after missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade, and the team "has already emerged as a likely prime candidate" in Taylor Jenkins. Rivers took over midseason in 2023-24, guided the club to consecutive first round exits, and now the Bucks sit 31-47, their first sub-40 win year since 2015-16. Merlin notes Rivers was handed a difficult hand with Damian Lillard’s torn Achilles and Giannis Antetokounmpo appearing in just 36 games. Coaching change could reset culture, but injuries and roster construction are the deeper runes to read. A new voice may help, yet answers will require moves beyond the bench.