NBA Rumors: Doc Rivers expected to stay on as the Philadelphia 76ers head coach despite playoff failure
After suffering a blowout loss in Game 5, Doc Rivers and the Philadelphia 76ers were back on their home floor with a chance to keep their season alive.
After keeping things close in the first half of Game 6, things fell apart once both teams took the floor after halftime. When the final buzzer sounded, it marked the end of the 76ers' playoff run.
Even before they were bounced by the Miami Heat, rumors of the 76ers moving on from Doc Rivers had already begun to surface. When the Lakers parted ways with head coach Frank Vogel, Rivers was cited as a potential replacement.
The noise got even louder when rumblings came about of James Harden wanting to move on from Doc Rivers in favor of his former coach, Mike D'Antoni.
Doc Rivers responds to a question about job security with some spice 👀 https://t.co/wmamVskXUw
On Friday morning, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith set the record straight regarding Doc Rivers. On "First Take," he mentioned that he's already heard the future Hall of Fame head coach will not be losing his job this offseason, stating:
"I'm also being told that Doc Rivers will survive, that he'll last in Philadelphia."
Doc Rivers should remain coach of the Philadelphia 76ers
Rivers has never been worried about his job security and rightfully so. No matter what might be being said on the outside, the 76ers would be foolish to jump the gun in regards to firing their head coach.
At the end of the day, coaching in pro sports is a results-driven profession. That being said, Rivers has done enough in his tenure with the 76ers to remain on at least for another season.
Daryl Morey was asked whether he can guarantee that Doc Rivers will be back next season: "Yes."
Philly firing their head coach after their playoff exit would be nothing more than an overreaction.
Taking a step back and looking at the circumstances, Rivers did a fine job this season as head coach. Scapegoating the head coach in a season where an All-Star player purposely sat out for half the season would be organizational malpractice.
The 76ers have a long list of priorities this offseason, and a new head coach should not be one of them. Since arriving in Philly, Rivers has done wonders for the culture, elevating key players like Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
Their season might not have ended the way they planned, but an argument can be made that the expectations were far too high.
After finally moving on from Ben Simmons, the 76ers had just 24 games to prepare for the playoffs. Given those conditions, it's hard to blame the coach for coming up short.
In total, this season was a rollercoaster ride for the 76ers. With things back on track now, Rivers' job should not be at risk.