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Doc Rivers Sends Message After Unexpected Bucks Decision

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ayomide Adeduyite | Last updated Mar 24, 2026 1:06 PM ET

Doc Rivers has endured a difficult tenure with the Milwaukee Bucks. Hired midway through the 2023-24 season, Rivers was brought in to maximize a roster built around Giannis Antetokounmpo and push the franchise back into title contention.

Instead, his first season ended in disappointment, with the Bucks failing to advance past the first round of the playoffs. The same outcome followed in his second year, raising early concerns about the team’s direction under his leadership.

Now in his third season, the team’s performance has worsened. The Bucks hold a 29-42 record, sit 11th in the Eastern Conference, and are in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016. With injuries and inconsistency affecting the roster, Milwaukee has struggled to find rhythm on either end of the floor, leaving their postseason hopes hanging by a thread.

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers© Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

In the midst of that slide, the Bucks made a surprising roster move on Monday, waiving guard Cam Thomas, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. The move came as the Bucks converted forward Pete Nance to a standard contract.

Thomas had joined Milwaukee in February after being released by the Brooklyn Nets, with the expectation that he would provide scoring off the bench during a critical stretch of the season.

After the decision, Rivers addressed the situation without offering much detail.

“There are things that we don’t need to talk about. That’s not anybody’s business,” Rivers said via The Athletic. “Like I said before, that’s where as a coach, you have to make decisions on what’s the best thing for the team at that time.”

Doc Rivers on the decision to waive Cam Thomas:

“There are things that we don’t need to talk about. That’s not anybody’s business.”

Thomas went from being compared to Jamal Crawford by Doc in February to being waived in March.

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— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) March 24, 2026

Thomas appeared in 18 games for Milwaukee, averaging 10.7 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. He showed flashes of his scoring ability but struggled to secure a consistent role in the rotation.

Earlier in the season with Brooklyn, he averaged 15.6 points, 3.1 assists, and 1.8 rebounds in 24 games.

While Milwaukee tries to salvage what is left of its season, Rivers’ future as head coach will be worth monitoring in the offseason. The Bucks entered the year with championship expectations but now face the possibility of missing the postseason entirely. If that scenario unfolds, Rivers could receive his marching orders.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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