Rivers Says Bucks Never Welcomed Lillard
Former Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Damian Lillard was never properly embraced in Milwaukee and called trading Jrue Holiday the biggest mistake in the deal.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Basketball
Doc Rivers said on a Bill Simmons podcast released November 6, 2026, that Damian Lillard was never properly welcomed by the Milwaukee Bucks. Rivers also said trading Jrue Holiday was the biggest mistake in the three-team deal that brought Lillard to Milwaukee.
Why it matters
Rivers' comments offer a candid look at the Lillard acquisition, which Milwaukee made just before the 2023-24 season and which has since produced first-round playoff exits and a 32-50 season. The remarks add to questions about how the trade and the team's direction are assessed in Milwaukee.
Rivers compiled a 97-103 record with the Bucks, and Milwaukee went 32-50 in 2025-26 after first-round exits in 2024 and 2025. Lillard is averaging 20.1 points per game and shooting 31.7% from three through seven games this season.
The players
Doc Rivers
Doc Rivers is a longtime NBA head coach who led the Milwaukee Bucks for about two and a half seasons before parting ways with the franchise.
Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard is a veteran NBA point guard and Portland Trail Blazers star whose trade to Milwaukee reshaped the Bucks' roster.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are an NBA franchise based in Milwaukee that has been trying to return to contention after its recent first-round playoff exits.
The details
Rivers replaced Adrian Griffin midseason and coached the Bucks for about two and a half seasons. Lillard was acquired from Portland in a three-team deal in which Jrue Holiday went to Portland and Grayson Allen went to Phoenix, and he later tore his Achilles in the 2025 playoffs.
Timeline
Lillard was acquired from Portland just before training camp for the 2023-24 season.
Milwaukee was eliminated in the first round of the 2024 and 2025 playoffs.
Rivers' comments were released in a Bill Simmons podcast episode on November 6, 2026.
Season Trajectory
Rivers' remarks revisit the 2023 three-team deal that sent Damian Lillard to Milwaukee and sent Jrue Holiday to Portland. The fallout has been first-round exits and a 32-50 season, shaping how the Bucks' current direction is viewed.
Lillard's contract runs through the 2029-30 season, which affects how Milwaukee can reshape its roster in the coming years. Fantasy managers tracking Lillard's 20.1 points per game and current 31.7% three-point shooting will be watching whether his production rebounds.
The takeaway
Rivers' comments underscore how much a single trade can shape a team's identity for seasons afterward. Milwaukee fans and observers should weigh the Lillard deal against the results on the floor as the franchise decides its next move.
Further reading
For more on the local team's season, see Basketball coverage in Milwaukee.
