After his departure from the LA Clippers, renowned NBA coach Doc Rivers inked a new deal with the Sixers, marking a curious new era that many regards as unpredictable.
Despite the uncertainty, it was a situation Doc reportedly saw a lot of potential in — at least according to what his son, Austin, said on The Ringer NBA Show.
“There was a lot of other great teams that had great situations that were gonna offer him a job, and he wanted the Philly job… they were a bounce roll away two years ago from going to the finals,” Austin said.
Austin Rivers on variables that factored into Doc signing with Philadelphia:
“There was a lot of other great teams that had great situations that were gonna offer him a job, and he wanted the Philly job…they were a bounce roll away two years ago from going to the finals.” 👀 pic.twitter.com/RpykJjw5yD
— Brock Knows Ball (@LandesBrock) November 27, 2020
In the aftermath of a hugely disappointing season, it’s easy to forget how close the Sixers came to making the NBA Finals just a year and a half ago. It was one shot, by Kawhi Leonard, that eliminated them in Game 7.
Since that point, the team hasn’t quite been right as a result of several failed roster moves that included signing Al Horford and Tobias Harris to max contracts to replace JJ Redick and Jimmy Butler.
With Doc and GM Daryl Morey in place, they hope to return to the place they were just two seasons ago. We’ll see soon enough how they fare in the upcoming season.
