The Milwaukee Bucks’ 2025-26 campaign came to a close on April 12 with a resounding thud, falling 126-106 to the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. For a franchise accustomed to playoff basketball, this marks a jarring end to a season marked by injuries, disappointment, and looming questions about the future of both the roster and its leadership.
Let’s start with the headline news: Doc Rivers is officially out as head coach. According to multiple reports, including ESPN and FOX6, Rivers’ tenure ends after the Bucks finished 32-50—snapping a nine-year postseason streak and delivering their fewest wins since the infamous 2013-14 “tanking” season. The Bucks will now embark on their third head coaching search in as many years, a sign of ongoing instability atop the organization.
Rivers, 64, departs Milwaukee with a 97-102 record, having taken over midway through the 2023-24 season after Adrian Griffin was dismissed despite a promising 30-13 start. Rivers’ time with the Bucks was marked by two straight first-round playoff exits, both at the hands of the Indiana Pacers, and a frustrating final campaign. The franchise and Rivers are reportedly discussing a move to an advisory role in the front office, but as Rivers himself put it after the loss to Philadelphia, "I can tell you we're all on the same page. We've talked about it, and we want it out pretty quick. I just want them to do it, it's better. But I think you guys pretty much know."
Adding to the bittersweet nature of his departure, Rivers was just last week honored as an inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026. His coaching legacy is secure—he ranks sixth in all-time coaching wins with 1,194 victories and led the Boston Celtics to the 2008 NBA championship. But his time in Milwaukee will be remembered as a transitional era, one filled with what-ifs and unfulfilled promise.
Injuries were a major storyline all season for the Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo, the face of the franchise for over a decade, played just 36 games, his fewest since his rookie year. After suffering a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise on March 15, Antetokounmpo was never cleared to return, despite his insistence that he was healthy and ready to play. This led to frustration and public comments from the two-time MVP about his lack of control over playing decisions. "I don't have control. Being cleared to play, I don't understand ... from my understanding, coming back to play, which I don't think I ever had any return-to-play protocol, but to my understanding was I had to play 3-on-3 to be able to be available to play. I did that multiple times. I've never in my life denied participation of practice," Antetokounmpo told reporters postgame.
Antetokounmpo’s absence was keenly felt. He averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game—his lowest marks in several seasons—and missed out on All-NBA and MVP consideration for the first time since 2015-16. The Bucks, who once boasted one of the league’s most dynamic duos, had already waived and stretched Damian Lillard following his Achilles tear in the previous postseason. Lillard’s departure last July signaled a major turning point for the roster, and the team never truly found its footing.
Meanwhile, the Bucks’ supporting cast did what they could to fill the void. AJ Green emerged as a bright spot, breaking Ray Allen’s single-season franchise record for made three-pointers with 232, surpassing Allen’s 229 set in 2001-02. Green drained five triples against Philadelphia, including three in the first quarter, capping a season in which he was held without a made three-pointer only six times in 78 games. "It's an honor. It's a blessing. I'm grateful for it," Green said after setting the record. Doc Rivers praised Green’s resilience and shooting, especially considering his recent return from a shoulder injury: “If you think about well he was playing before the [shoulder] injury, and he really just returned shooting the ball well within the last month, maybe? Three weeks. It is amazing what he’s done. It’s pretty cool.”
Ryan Rollins also delivered a breakout campaign, averaging 17.4 points and setting a franchise record for largest single-season scoring improvement. Despite the team’s struggles, Rollins’ growth was a rare silver lining and will likely earn him Most Improved Player votes.
Yet, the big-picture questions loom largest. Antetokounmpo’s future with the franchise is now the subject of intense speculation. After the season-ending loss, he was asked whether he had played his final game in a Bucks uniform. "That's a very good question. I don't know. It's not up to me. We'll see," he replied. He didn’t rule out signing an extension in October if offered, but made it clear that communication with the front office needs to improve. "I'm very big on communication. I've always been open, but I don't know if that ... it's got to go both ways. It has to go both ways. That cannot go one way."
Team owner Wes Edens has already stated that the Bucks will either extend Antetokounmpo or trade him before he can become an unrestricted free agent next summer. With rumors swirling about trade offers before February’s deadline and the franchise facing a crossroads, the direction Milwaukee chooses in the coming months could define its future for years to come. Antetokounmpo summed up the uncertainty: "We're very bad. We are the furthest away that we've been in the last couple of years. How many wins we have? 32? This is the second-lowest wins I've ever won. So yeah, we're the furthest away that we've been, I think. So, we'll see."
For Bucks fans, there are at least a few things to watch as the offseason begins. Milwaukee is locked in a battle with the Chicago Bulls for the ninth-worst record in the league, which could impact their lottery odds in the upcoming NBA Draft. There’s also the chance for further roster shakeups and, of course, the all-important head coaching search.
As the Bucks enter the summer of 2026, one thing is certain: change is coming. Whether that means a new coach, a retooled roster, or even a future without Giannis Antetokounmpo, the only guarantee is that the next chapter in Milwaukee basketball will be anything but dull.