The Milwaukee Bucks have moved on multiple head coaches since last season and now they will have three on their payroll at the same time.
Milwaukee parted ways with both Mike Budenholzer and his successor, Adrian Griffin, after just 43 games. The Bucks will replace Griffin with Doc Rivers, who served as an informal consultant to his predecessor.
Regardless of whether or not Rivers was the right choice to lead Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, this aggressive decision to change head coaches yet again won’t come cheap for Milwaukee’s ownership group.
According to Shams Charania, the Bucks will pay Rivers $40 million through 2026-27. That is already fairly expensive but it is even more expensive when factoring in what they already owe to other head coaches.
"Doc Rivers is going to sign a contract with the Milwaukee Bucks through 2026…No options, fully guaranteed contract, in the range of $40 million dollars."@ShamsCharania on Doc Rivers' new contract with the Bucks.
📺: https://t.co/wdT8I0ST8g pic.twitter.com/rEgNKgzeq1
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) January 25, 2024
At the time Griffin was hired, Charania reported that the coach signed a multi-year contract worth approximately $4 million per season. Budenholzer, reportedly had two years and $16 million remaining on his contract when he was fired.
Combine what is owed to the three coaches and you have nearly $18 million owed in salary to three different head coaches in Milwaukee this season. That is more than what the Spurs pay Gregg Popovich (who is the head coach and also the president of basketball operations for the Spurs) and what the Heat pay Erik Spoelstra.
It is also a massive financial burden when considering that the Bucks already have the most expensive roster in the Eastern Conference.
