NBA Rumors: Doc Rivers 'sleeper candidate' in Milwaukee Bucks' head coach hunt
According to The Athletic's Joe Vardon, an NBA executive pins Doc Rivers as a "sleeper candidate" in consideration for the Milwaukee Bucks' head coaching position.
Milwaukee Bucks parted ways with former coach Mike Budenholzer last May, after 5 seaons with one NBA championship coming in the 2021. In this year's playoffs, with championship aspirations and Khris Middleton finally back, the team ended up going home early in the first-round.
Doc Rivers is also a seasoned coach similar to Mike Budenholzer. He has also lost his head coaching job recently. He coached the Philadelphia 76ers for three seasons, but was unable to reach the Conference Finals. He was able to win one championship back in 2008 with the Celtics, but has come up short in capturing another one since then.
Rivers being considered by the Milwaukee Bucks in their head coach hunt is interesting as he brings a different style and philosophy compared to Budenholzer. Doc Rivers also has 1097 wins and 763 losses in his regular season record, along with 111 wins and 103 losses on his postseason record.
However, the Bucks can also look into Rivers' closeout record of 17 wins and 33 losses throughout his long career. The Milwaukee thinktank can consider this a huge factor in their decision when comparing their possible head coach prospects.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr reacts to the firing of former Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer
Following the dismissal of Mike Budenholzer by the Bucks organization, Warriors coach Steve Kerr spoke with the media recently.
"My first response is not necessarily shock, it's more disappointment," Kerr said. "Bud is a fantastic coach, he just won a championship, and has been wildly successful in his coaching career. This is the business we're in. Expectations for every team are so high, and only one team can win. It's sad news for the coaching profession."
No one saw it coming when the 8th seed Miami Heat eliminated the 1st seed Milwaukee Bucks (who had the best record in the league) in 5 games. Budenholzer had his shortcomings with lack of adjustments and proper game-planning.
However, the roster was not dissimilar to one which featured in the 2021 championship run. The Bucks acquired Joe Ingles, Jae Crowder, Goran Dragic and Meyers Leonard for this season with the goal of strengthening the roster. But the team lacked another shot creator and a number of youthful, reliable role players to compete in the playoffs.