Doc Rivers contract details, grade: Bucks are in championship-or-bust mode

The Milwaukee Bucks officially agreed to contract terms with Doc Rivers on Wednesday. The 2008 NBA champion will receive roughly $40 million on a deal that runs through the 2026-27 season, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. The Bucks are now paying out the remaining contracts of Mike Budenholzer and Adrian Griffin, in addition to Rivers' salary.

Few active coaches are more accomplished than Rivers, who is three wins away from becoming the eighth coach in NBA history to achieve 1,100 career victories. In addition to his championship run with Boston in 2008, Rivers has been to the postseason in 19 of 24 seasons as head coach. He spent time with the Orlando Magic (1999-2004), Celtics (2004-13), Los Angeles Clippers (2013-20), and Philadelphia 76ers (2021-23) prior to landing with Milwaukee.

It's officially championship-or-bust mode for the Bucks (in fairness, it was championship-or-bust mode with Adrian Griffin, which was precisely the root of the issue). Rivers has developed a rather maddening habit of blowing leads in the playoffs, but in order to blow a series lead, you have to be ahead in the playoffs to begin with. There was worse problems to have.

The Bucks will bank on Rivers' ability to develop relationships with star talent and orchestrate effective offenses. Rivers hasn't finished worse than second in his division since 2012-13. He will consistently deliver results in the regular season. The Bucks, at 31-13, are currently second in the Eastern Conference. He is inheriting a ready-made winner.

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Let's start with the positives, of which there are many. Rivers is going to deliver 50+ regular season wins. That is a borderline guarantee with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard on the roster. Griffin's scheme lacked structure and purpose. Rivers will lean into the Giannis and Lillard two-man game. He will spam pick-and-rolls and draw up some creative sets. The Bucks won't have trouble scoring.

There's something to be said for a high floor. Rivers' creativity shines most under duress. When the Sixers were shorthanded, he often flourished with his ability to maximize less talented lineups. Rivers' ceiling is probably more limited than other top head coaches — he can get too stubborn with his full-strength rotations and his structure is sometimes too rigid — but he is going to instill good habits and make sure the Bucks are favorably positioned in the standings. There is also something to be said for the respect Rivers still commands.

That said, Milwaukee fans should prepare to complain endlessly about Rivers' inability to move off his favorite sets once the postseason arrives. Rivers didn't necessarily coach a bad series during Philadelphia's seven-game collapse against Boston last season, but he is frequently out-schemed in the playoffs. He struggles to counterpunch.

Rotations are also a problem. The creativity Rivers displays with less talented groups, such as the CP3-less Clippers, simply does not extend to healthy superteams. Rivers will lock into his preferred rotation — often heavy on vets and light on developing young talent — and stick with it through thick and thin. He ran way too many all-bench lineups in Philly. He ignored Paul Reed for almost two years. The Bucks' roster is primarily constructed of vets, but players like Andre Jackson and MarJon Beauchamp might not receive the minutes they deserve under Rivers.

Of the options available, this is probably the Bucks' best outcome. The public perception on Rivers has swayed far too negative. There are concerns about Rivers' ability to get over the hump in the playoffs. There's some overlap with Budenholzer in that sense. But, Milwaukee's rookie head coaching hire flamed out and the team needs an established coach to regain control over the locker room. Rivers can get the job done.

Grade: B-