By: Aaron Morse 4/30/2025
The Doc Rivers hiring has not gone well in Milwaukee. It hasn’t been ridiculously bad, but things could have went much better.
And if you follow the team any but closely, you know what those things are- game plans, adjustments, and lineup rotations- especially in the playoffs.
While Rivers hasn’t been fired yet, there is a possibility he does get let go and there could be/are better options on the market.
When they were searching for the new head coach after Mike Budenholzer, I gave my thoughts on the best choices for the team moving forward in a few different tiers of preference… And *pat on the back* I did pretty well.
So, I am going to do it again.
TIER 1
Erik Spoelstra
He was a candidate the last time I did this, but he was more of a pipe dream. This time around I think it is much more likely he is available. His team just went eight games under .500 and despite getting in as the eight seed, they looked TERRIBLE and were swept by the Cavaliers in the most lopsided series in NBA history.
Spoelstra is a mastermind strategist and gets more out of his players than any other coach. He was able to navigate the Miami Heat when they had LeBron, Wade, and Bosh. And now he is doing it with a bunch of undrafted dudes.
Why would the Heat move on from such a good coach?
Sometimes, it is just time. See Andy Reid and the Eagles. Or Belichick and the Patriots. Or Phil Jackson.
Spoelstra could be on the move and the Bucks have to be ready to pounce.
Chris Quinn
If you can’t get ‘Spo’ then get his right hand man. Quinn played for the Heat for four seasons all with Spoelstra on the staff in some capacity.
Then Quinn joined the staff right after retiring from playing in 2014. Quinn has been referred to as Spoelstra’s “mini me”. And longtime Miami Heat player Udonis Haslem said about Quinn:
“When you listen to Quinny, you’re hearing Spo. It’s the same message. He has the knowledge, the experience, the relationship with the players. He has every base covered when you talk about checking the boxes to have the ability to be a successful head coach.”
Mike Brown
Brown was just inexplicably fired by the Kings in the middle of the season. He was the catalyst behind the Kings return to prominence a couple years ago and made the playoffs in 2022 which ended a 16 year drought for the franchise. The only reason he is available is because the Kings front office/ownership is mostly incompetent.
Brown is twice a Coach of the Year winner and has won an NBA Championship four times as an assistant coach- once with the Spurs (2003) and three times with the Warriors (‘17, ‘19, ’22). He also led a young LeBron James and the Cavaliers to the Finals in 2007.
TIER 2
Michael Malone
Malone was fired three games before the end of the regular season which gives me pause in terms of wanting to hire him. Something weird was going on their and reports are that there was strife between Malone and the front office.
He is the winningest coach in Nuggets history and won a championship in 2023. He has experience coaching a team similar to what the Bucks are. And like Brown, inexplicably fired by the Kings before heading to Denver.
Micah Nori
Nori is currently the lead assistant for the Timberwolves. He was tied for the best assistant coach in the league in a General Mangers survey last year.
Nori took over for Chris Finch in the playoffs last year after Finch ruptured his patellar tendon in game four in the first round. Finch was still operating as the Head Coach except for in-game situations because of immobility. Nori helped lead them to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years.
TIER 3
Jeff Van Gundy
I really like the approach Van Gundy brings to the game. He was a longtime ESPN color commentator on the league’s biggest games (17 years) before joining the Clippers staff this year to be the lead assistant which shows his interest in coaching again. Previously, he was the head coach of the Knicks and Rockets from 1996-2007 where he appeared in one finals with the Knicks in 1999.
Biggest worry: His length away from coaching and not being able to grasp this era of the game
James Borrego
Currently the Associate Head Coach with the Pelicans, Borrego coached the Hornets for four seasons. He led them to improvements in each year however, never made the playoffs despite his last year finishing with a 43-39 record in 2022 which was the first winning season since 2016. He was a long time assistant under Gregg Popovich and won two championships.
Biggest worry: No playoff appearance as a HC and lack of experience with a superstar
Sam Cassell
He was the other coach who tied Nori as the top voted assistant in 2024. He has been an assistant coach since 2008 and is currently with the Celtics who won the title last year. He played in the league for 15 years and won three championships. He has experience in Milwaukee as a player from 1999-2003.
Biggest worry: Was an assistant under Doc River for 9 seasons
TIER 4- “The Others”
Terry Stotts
Joined the Bucks staff when they hired Adrian Griffin due to his relationship with Damian Lillard but left before the season started because of strife with Griffin’s method of coaching. Very good offensive coach, but not great on the defensive side.
Dave Joerger
Currently on the Bucks staff so he has familiarity with what is going on. He has experience as the head coach with Memphis and Sacramento (there’s that team again) with good understanding of scheming on both sides of the court.
Taylor Jenkins
Like Malone, fired just before the playoffs. He had trouble scheming offense and defense for a team led by a star (Ja Morant) with great pieces around him.
Frank Vogel
Won a title with the Lakers in 2020 so he has experience coaching at the highest level with a huge superstar. But, he has a short shelf life and doesn’t have a good reputation with locker room control and leadership.
Steve Nash
Feels VERY similar to Jason Kidd in terms of coaching style. Has experience with a messy situation when he coached Brooklyn with KD, Harden, and Kyrie.
Again, Doc HAS NOT been fired yet. But he could. And should. I would take almost every single one of these coaches over Doc.