Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst said Wednesday that it is still uncertain whether Doc Rivers will remain in his position next season.

The 64-year-old Rivers began his coaching career in 1999, and previously coached the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, and Philadelphia 76ers. He will succeed Adrian Griffin as the Bucks' head coach in January 2024, with a contract that runs until the end of the 2026/27 season.

To date, Rivers has accumulated 96 regular season wins with the Bucks and led the team to the 2024 NBA Cup championship. However, he has only led the team to 3 wins in the playoffs, resulting in a first-round exit for two consecutive seasons.

On April 7th local time, Rivers hinted publicly that he might consider retirement: "I won't give a direct answer as to how much longer I'll coach, but I want to spend more time with my grandchildren. That's all I wanted to say, the rest is up to you. I have seven grandchildren now, all under eight years old. Every time I miss going to their school's 'Grandparents' Day' event, it breaks my heart. Maybe it's time to spend more time with them, the rest is up to you to speculate."

When asked about Rivers' statement, Horst remained cautious in an interview with TA reporter Eric Nem: "I will not comment on contract matters. I never do."

“I’m not entirely clear on past records and seedings, but apart from this year, we’ve had very good teams every year that are playoff contenders. Injuries have been a problem for us for the past few years, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg of the many issues we have to deal with together. He’s a great partner in handling these things, and I enjoy working with him. I value his opinions.”

"I don't know what the final outcome will be; but we will try to sort everything out. I think we will find the answers soon and clarify the direction for future development."

The Bucks currently sit 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 31-49 record, officially out of playoff contention this season. Despite this, Horst still praised Rivers: "I've been trying to see this from a coaching perspective. I know this year has been exceptionally tough. I think Doc has done everything he could to keep the team as consistent as possible, and he's been outstanding in many ways. Did he get everything right? No. Did I? No. It's been incredible working with him in such a challenging year."

"His performance has been incredible in such a difficult year. And he continues to do so. It's unbelievable. He has given his all. That's truly how I feel. And the management thinks so too."

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Bucks' management will decide Rivers' future within the next week. Another TA reporter, Sam Amick, stated that a move to a management position is not out of the question.

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