Doc Rivers steps down as Milwaukee Bucks head coach

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Doc Rivers, the head coach for the Milwaukee Bucks, is leaving the Milwaukee Bucks, the team announced in a Tuesday, April 13 press release.

This comes after the Bucks missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade. 

Rivers was hired in the middle of the season two years ago going just 97 and 103, never making it out of the first round of the playoffs. 

Those struggles, despite a roster that at times featured two of the top 75 players in NBA history, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard along with all-star Khris Middleton though injuries played a major role as well. 

The news comes at the start of what is a crucial off-season for the Bucks and two-time MVP Giannis trying to figure out if his long-term future is in Milwaukee. 

Rivers noted in the team's press release that he enjoyed his time in Milwaukee, saying:

"Coming back to where I got my start, to a city that has always embraced me, has been a privilege. I am disappointed that things did not turn out the way any of us hoped, but I am deeply grateful for this experience, the relationships built, and unwavering support from our fans and the community. Milwaukee will always mean a lot to me, and this chapter will hold a special place in my heart."

ESPN says the Bucks will pay out the final year of Doc's eight figure salary next season. This change comes less than two weeks after the news that Rivers was being inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.