Doc Rivers didn’t even last a week on the job market after parting ways with the Los Angeles Clippers. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Rivers agreed to become a new head coach for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Rivers was contacted by the 76ers shortly after becoming available, with Philly wanting to get ahead of the rest interested teams. The two sides had engaged in negotiations in recent days and didn’t waste time hammering a deal.
Reportedly, Rivers will ink a five-year deal with the organization.
The 76ers hope that Doc Rivers will help the franchise to take the next step after they suffered disappointing early playoffs exits under Brett Brown. There is also an expectation that Rivers can get the best out of the team’s young All-Stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons and figure out their fit on the court.
Philadelphia 76ers initially zeroed in on ex-Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni and Clippers’ assistant Ty Lue in their search. However, 76ers shifted their focus to Rivers once he became available, seeing him as the better fit for the team.
Rivers, on the other hand, received interest from several other franchises, including New Orleans Pelicans and Houston Rockets. However, he was intrigued by the 76ers’ talented roster, history, and organization, which ended up prompting him to reject other suitors and come to Philly.
