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Who could replace Doc Rivers in Milwaukee?
Apr 5, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers acknowledges the fan as they clap for his announcement as being inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Who could replace Doc Rivers in Milwaukee?

Originally posted on Milwaukee Bucks on SI
By Mateo Mayorga  |  Last updated Apr 7, 2026 3:00 PM ET


A new era of Milwaukee Bucks basketball is likely on the horizon, considering how the relationship remains rocky with Giannis Antetokounmpo, and speculation persists over Doc Rivers putting down the coaching clipboard. With how the last few years have gone, it’s probably time to rip off the band-aid.

The Stein Line reported that Taylor Jenkins “has already emerged as a likely prime candidate” as the next coach if Rivers doesn’t return. He may not be elite, but he is very good and has shown that he can be a gateway coach at the least. His experience as the player doing the dirty work at St. Mark’s School of Texas gives him extra credibility, too.

The Memphis Grizzlies won 53.9 percent of their regular season games under Jenkins, and they were back in the playoffs by his second season. They posted no lower than the 14-ranked defense in those years and were as high as third and sixth in consecutive seasons. Additionally, the Grizzlies were as high as the second seed before imploding last season, which led to his firing before the playoffs started. 

When he was canned, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra commented that it was disappointing and that Jenkins’ record “speaks for itself.” Michael Malone said it was “really shocking,” too, fewer than two weeks before he was fired as coach of the Denver Nuggets. Interestingly, both coaches who suffered the indignity of not being able to ride it out with their teams are two of the best established names on the market now. 

Furthermore, Jenkins' playoff record is not as shiny, having only been a part of one series win in 2022. Some of this is circumstantial because of injuries and Ja Morant’s disciplinary issues.

As it relates to Malone, he's a good coach but is not elite, either. He relied too much on the veterans without giving enough opportunities to the youngsters. It shouldn’t get past anyone that one of the top-two candidates for the Most Improved Player award is Collin Gillespie of the Phoenix Suns, who was in Denver for a few seasons, and Malone had no idea how good he was. 

The intriguing part about Malone is that his teams were well-staffed with assistants, putting out excellent offenses when given pieces. It’s important to note that one of those pieces was Nikola Jokić, an all-time player, but Malone was there 10 seasons and did his part well enough to get them over the hump. He is Denver’s only championship coach in franchise history. 

Yet Malone’s flaw is what also makes him him: wearing his heart on his sleeve. Players will run though a wall for a gut like that, but that style, which has included jabs at players in the press conference room, can get old quickly.  

If Rivers is done, and the Bucks pivot, the next coach might have to spend more time dealing with the rough years of talent acquisition and development because the team’s future assets are not favorable. It’s unclear who the next one would be, but they could do a lot worse than Jenkins and Malone.


This article first appeared on Milwaukee Bucks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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