Former Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers is the new head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
A late addition to one of the offseason’s earliest coaching openings, Rivers quickly eclipsed the candidacy of former Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni and his assistant coach and fellow Celtics alumni Ty Lue ot secure the position.
With a roster full of hard-to-motivate personalities and an orientation towards defense, the match makes sense given the Sixers’ title aspirations and Rivers’ resumé.
Having won a title in 2008 during his tenure with the Celtics and skill managing complex rosters, the appeal is evident to Philly’s brass.
After a rapid courtship and negotiation, Doc Rivers has reached agreement on a deal to become the next coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 1, 2020
It may also give the team at least another chance at trying to solve the pairing of bigs Joel Embiid and 6-foot-8, non-shooting “point guard” Ben Simmons, who have yet to mesh with the sort of success you would expect from two high-level players.
That appears to be the preferred path for the awkwardly-fitting stars for the 76ers, the assumption being it would be hard to get fair value for either if such a move is made.
