By record alone, the Milwaukee Bucks are having a strong season. The team is 30-13 and currently sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks also traded for Damian Lillard during the summer, which was the biggest move of the offseason.
And yet, things still seemed amiss. Griffin's top assistant, Terry Stotts, left the team before its final preseason game. While the offense was pretty solid, the defense took a step back from previous seasons, ranking 22nd in defensive efficiency. There were also reports that the front office and perhaps some players were displeased with Griffin's leadership.
Whatever the reason, the first-time head coach is out after 43 games. That means the Bucks will owe money to three different coaches this season.
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Griffin signed a multiyear contract this offseason worth a little more than $4 million per year. Unless the Bucks have some kind of buyout agreement in place, they're going to owe him the remainder of his contract. While the total length was unreported, the Bucks will be on the hook for $8 million over the next two seasons (and likely more than that).
After last season's disappointing first-round exit, the Bucks fired Mike Budenholzer. He still has two years and $16 million on his contract — and the Bucks owe him all of that.
The Bucks made quick work replacing Griffin. Doc Rivers, who was serving as an analyst for ESPN, has agreed to a massive deal with the team. Milwaukee was also considering Jeff Van Gundy and Nate McMillan.
Milwaukee's offer to Rivers is reportedly worth around $40 million and will run through the 2026-27 season, according to NBA reporter Shams Charania.
That means the Bucks now owe about $44 million over the next two seasons to three different coaches, including two who are no longer involved with the team.
The rumor mill suggested the Bucks didn't believe Griffin could lead them to a championship. Rivers now has a ton of pressure to get the Bucks back to another title and give them a little bang for their, ahem, buck.
