Bucks rumors: The ‘prime candidate’ to replace Doc Rivers if he’s a goner

Just a few months into his cushy job as a game analyst, Doc Rivers left ESPN after he was offered to coach the Milwaukee Bucks in 2024. Rivers signed a four-year deal worth around $40 million with the Bucks.

Well, he could be back in the broadcast booth in the near future as rumors continue to swirl that he will either step down or get axed by the Bucks after their tumultuous campaign.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, there could be drastic changes for Milwaukee in the summer.

“Also growing is an anticipation that Bucks coach Doc Rivers and the franchise could be heading for some sort of parting or job restructuring after such a trying 2025-26 campaign,” wrote Stein on Substack.

This echoes reports from ClutchPoints' NBA insider Brett Siegel, who reported on Friday that the uncertainty surrounding Rivers' future is mounting, with several players losing confidence in the head coach's abilities to lead the team.

The Bucks will miss the playoffs for the first time in nine years. They were hounded by injuries and rumors about Giannis Antetokounmpo's tenure, with Rivers struggling to navigate them.

Stein added that if the Rivers and the Bucks part ways, there is already a notable name waiting in the wings.

“Former (Memphis) Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins, who worked for a season as a Bucks assistant to Mike Budenholzer in 2018-19 before Memphis gave him his head coaching shot, has already emerged as a likely prime candidate in Brewtown if the Bucks indeed end up launching a coaching search,” wrote Stein on his Substack.

Jenkins was unceremoniously fired by the Grizzlies in March 2025, with just nine games remaining in the season. There were whispers that Jenkins was pushed out by the players.

He tallied a 250-214 record in his six years in Memphis, steering the squad to three appearances in the playoffs.

Rivers, for his part, has a 96-100 record with the Bucks, as of writing. The team suffered back-to-back exits in the first round of the playoffs in Rivers' first two seasons.

He was recently named to the Hall of Fame Class of 2026.