Doc Rivers will meet with the Sixers in the Philadelphia area to discuss the team’s head coaching position, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
As we outlined this morning, Mike D’Antoni and Tyronn Lue – who interviewed with the team on Tuesday – were considered last week to be the two finalists for Philadelphia’s coaching vacancy. However, Rivers’ split with the Clippers on Monday created a wild card in the team’s search process. The Sixers reached out to Rivers shortly after word broke of his exit from L.A.
Rivers still had two years left on his contract with the Clippers when the two sides parted ways and there’s no set plan yet for when the 2020/21 NBA season will begin or what it will look like, so it’s been unclear whether the veteran head coach will seek another job right away. The fact that Rivers is meeting with the Sixers does suggest he’s interested in another coaching job for ’20/21 though.
The belief as of this past weekend was that 76ers ownership prefers D’Antoni, but Rivers wasn’t available at that point. Rivers’ coaching résumé includes a higher winning percentage (.581) than D’Antoni’s (.560), a championship, and a reputation as one of the league’s most popular head coaches among players.
If Rivers, D’Antoni, and Lue are all interested in the Philadelphia job, it would create a fascinating decision for the franchise. There’s an expectation that a decision will come this week, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
If Rivers and the Sixers don’t come to an agreement and he wants to coach in 2020/21, he should have other options. The Pelicans reportedly contacted him and the Rockets are said to have interest as well.
Clippers and Rockets have traded almost all available future picks for Rivers and D’antoni to win championships
but …
I am not sure 76ers and Rockets can pass the first round of playoffs next year
East
Nets
Heat
Celtics
Bucks
West
Lakers
Clippers
Warriors
Nuggets
Hey don’t forget the Raptors, Jazz, Trailblazers all these teams will end up in the playoffs but the question is where. The only team in those three I think Philly could beat would be Portland.
Offer Rivers what he wants, the Sixers are still a Clown show as long as they have Simmons, but Rivers is a really good coach
Also as a side note, why would Mike D’Antoni go back to Philly? He was already there under Brown
They should have kept Mike instead of Brett.
Anyway, I would roll with Rivers
D’Antoni was hired with the intentions of taking over for Brett eventually, but he took the Rockets job instead of waiting it out.
Does Doc want more pressure in his life in trying to prop up a team that has underachieved, like the Sixers, or would he rather build a team with a good young core, like the Pelicans, with no immediate high expectations? I say he opts for New Orleans
Before this season the clippers were a rebuilding team.
Neither coach is winning in Philly.
mike d would be a bad idea. how in the world would that team work with his offense. lue would be fine but bring question marks. i think doc would be the best fit of the 3
Doc come to NY when Thibs fails you can take over. If Doc was healthy Knicks win 94 Championship.
Wild cards always make make my poker hands better. I think that New Orleans would benefit the most from Rivers and vice versa. Philly has been getting a lot of pub the last 5-7 years starting with “The Process” but have moved closer to a soap opera than a championship team.
Philly should go with DAntoni. And Doc should go on vacation. Sixers need an Offensive coach. Doc is not that.
Don’t even let him leave the building.
It’s not as hard a fix as it’s made out to be. Just going to have to mortgage picks. And this team could advance to the ECF.
48.2M in contracts to trade. All of their future 1sts 2021 and beyond, and the Thunder 2020 first. 4 2nd round picks in 2020.
We all know they need a shooter – but moreso a playmaking scorer and it has to come via trade. Buddy Hield or Zach LaVine fit the bill. Evan Fournier is another dude that isn’t afraid to shoot. A Collin Sexton – Kevin Love package would work. Gallinari S&T may work.
They don’t have the desirable assets to get a Bradley Beal. CP3 is too old, too overpaid. Blake Griffin got injured as I typed this. But they could do something to shake it up and make a deeper playoff run.
Hield for Horford and a few 2nd round picks would get it done. Win-win for both teams, each player fills a need.
Doc Rivers will provide much needed structure for Simmons and Embiid. He’ll sit Ben if he doesn’t shoot the ball. He’ll bench Embiid if he can’t get his butt into proper shape. He’ll find ways to utilize Harris on the offensive end.
Brett Brown was likable, but likable doesn’t win playoff games.
There we go with the Rivers reputation crap. He won a title with four hall of famers 12 years ago. Hasn’t done much since with a huge amount of talent at his disposal. All the commentators in the press must be pals with him or something.