Amid reports that the Milwaukee Bucks have hired Doc Rivers to be their next head coach, ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed that the two sides are still talking but no deal has been reached yet. Woj did highlight that the veteran tactician is the “focus” of the Bucks.
Speaking on SportsCenter, Woj shared the latest on the Bucks’ pursuit of Rivers. A CNN report late on Tuesday night claimed that the two sides have reached an agreement. Nonetheless, Wojnarowski refuted the story and emphasized that the coach and the franchise remain in the discussion and negotiation stages.
“Bucks reached out to Doc Rivers, his representative late this afternoon [or] early this evening and they’ve been talking about this job. He’s certainly at the forefront of the Bucks’ search,” Wojnarowski said.
The ESPN NBA insider then went on to discuss why the Bucks have such a massive interest in the one-time champion coach, noting that he is expected to command the respect of the team’s All-Stars and other veterans. Not to mention that he is quite familiar with the Eastern Conference, having coached the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers before.
“Certainly, his 25 years as a head coach, the championship in Boston, the last three years in Philly where he got to the conference semifinals — obviously very familiar with this Eastern Conference — and the belief that he can come in and command the respect of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, this veteran team [and] get them better defensively,” Woj furthered.
“And again, Doc Rivers a Marquette grad, has a long basketball lineage in the city of Milwaukee. … He is the focus of this Bucks search, and they continue to talk tonight.”
The latest on Doc Rivers and the Bucks for @SportsCenter with @MaxMcGeeTV pic.twitter.com/bDiW04lXV0
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 24, 2024
Milwaukee Bucks’ Doc Rivers Interest, Adrian Griffin Firing
The Bucks surprised the whole NBA when they made the decision to part ways with former head coach Adrian Griffin despite the team’s 30-13 start. According to reports, the team’s underwhelming performances despite their good record and inability to retain their previously elite defense were among the reasons leading to the decision.
There were also concerns among the group that Damian Lillard is not being properly utilized and that the Bucks would fall short again if they continue with their current path under Griffin, per The Athletic.
In the wake of his firing, Doc Rivers was immediately mentioned as a strong candidate to replace Adrian Griffin as Milwaukee Bucks head coach. After that, CNN reported that there was already an agreement made, with multiple media outlets picking up the story.
Since then, however, several insiders like Woj and Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report said that a deal has yet to materialize.
While it looks likely that Rivers will take over the Bucks soon, nothing is official as of the moment.
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