Former Celtics Star Accuses Doc Rivers of Deliberately Benching Him to Hurt Bonus

A former Celtics player is accusing his former coach of benching him so he couldn't earn more money.

Dec 28, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers directs the team against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images / Matt Marton-Imagn Images

At the end of the 2000s, the Boston Celtics were one of the best teams in the NBA. They won the NBA title in 2008 thanks to Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce. They made the Finals again in 2010. Doc Rivers was the coach of the team back then and was considered one of the best coaches in the league.

Other than the Big 3, the Celtics had some other good players who helped them win the title and compete year after year. One of those players was former NBA Dunk Champion Nate Robinson. Robinson had two stints with Boston, playing in both 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.

Robinson was a fan favorite wherever he landed in his NBA career, and that was no different in Boston. He was a key figure off the bench in the 2010 Finals run for Boston. He alleges that Rivers sabotaged his ability to make some extra money by benching him.

Robinson commented on Instagram referring to Cooper Rush being benched by the Cowboys in the final game of the season despite his ability to earn a $250,000 bonus. “The Celtics did me like that too, coach Doc Rivers knew all about it smh,” is what he said on Instagram.

There was no follow-up to Robinson's claim that Rivers did the same thing to him. He didn't go into any details about how much money was at stake for him. If that did happen, that's something that Robinson should elaborate on and give fans a little more juice to learn about.

Rivers is now the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, which sits fifth in the Eastern Conference at the moment. Robinson last played in the NBA during the 2015-16 season when he played for the New Orleans Pelicans. It has is strange that Robinson has decided to bring this up now.

Rivers has coached multiple franchises in the course of his 25-plus-year coaching career. If this was something that he was known for doing, other players would have stepped up and called him out on it by now. Instead, this is the only claim that has come out from a former or current player.

Robinson has had some health struggles in the last few years and is in dire need of a new kidney. He has not updated his progress on achieving that goal.

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