In Rivers' debut at the helm of the Bucks, although the team lost 107-113 to the defending champion Nuggets, it was not a loss of face, after all, the new coaching process will inevitably need to be run-in, and face strong opponents. However, in the next game against the Trail Blazers, who are second to last in the West, if the Bucks lose again, Rivers may not be able to resist sharp criticism.
It is worth mentioning that the upcoming Bucks vs. Trail Blazers away game is not only Leigh's debut back to Portland after the transfer, but also the stage for his emotional home. Despite leaving Portland, Leigh's place in the hearts of fans remains unshakable. Each time he returns, he is greeted with enthusiastic cheers and affectionate affection from the fans, as if he had never left the city. In this game, we can expect to see an emotional exchange between Coach Lee and his old club, and feel the special bond between him and the Portland fans.
In response, Director Lee candidly said that returning to play on the home court of the Trail Blazers will be an emotional experience, and revealed his future wishes: after achieving his goal of winning a championship for the Bucks, he also wants to play for the Trail Blazers again as the last stop of his career. However, due to the extremely high amount of his current contract, the annual salary of the next two seasons is around $60 million, which is obviously unaffordable for the team looking to rebuild. Therefore, if he does return to the Trail Blazers, he will likely have to wait until his contract expires in 2027 before returning as a free agent, at which point he will enter the 36-year-old career stage. Of course, the possibility of his early return in the summer of 2026 is not ruled out, provided that he is willing to give up his annual salary worth $63.23 million for the 2026-2027 season.
This shows that Leigh and Antetokounmpo had about four seasons of time playing alongside each other for a championship with the Bucks. It's been quite a long time, enough to witness their splendor. However, we don't need to worry too much about what lies ahead in four years' time, because even if they don't win the title this year or next, the glory they have created together could change over time.
As of now, the Bucks are firmly in second place in the East with a 32-15 record, however, they have opened a significant gap between them and the Celtics, who have an impressive 37-11 record, and the Knicks, who are 31-17. The team is not only facing ranking pressure, but also the shortcomings on the defensive end; Even more notable is the new head coach Rivers, nicknamed the "King of Reversals" because of his many reversals in the series in the past, a label that undoubtedly heightens the doubts about whether the Bucks can challenge for a championship this season.
CBS News revealed a profound news: after learning the news that Rivers was at the helm of the Bucks, an anonymous rival executive sent a text message that read: "The other powerhouses in the East breathed a sigh of relief when they heard the news. This sentence is like a mirror, reflecting the general perception that Rivers' arrival does not seem to increase the tension of other teams in the East about the Bucks winning the championship. This undoubtedly raises the question: Can the Bucks' new coach Doc Rivers lead the team to glory?