Doc Rivers fired by Philadelphia 76ers from head coach position after 3 seasons
Following another early exit in the postseason, Doc Rivers and the Philadelphia 76ers are parting ways. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday morning that the longtime head coach has been dismissed from his position.
BREAKING: The 76ers dismissed coach Doc Rivers on Tuesday, sources tell ESPN. Rivers led the Sixers to the Eastern Conference Semifinals in each of his three seasons on the job. https://t.co/WM0t4LhrAz
Doc Rivers' exit comes on the heels of the Sixers being knocked out in the second round for the fifth time in six years. They had a 3-2 lead in their series with the Boston Celtics, and ended up being knocked out in Game 7 after a historic performance from Jayson Tatum.
Philly brought in Rivers after firing Brett Brown to take this team to the next level. However, he was unable to do so. During his time with the Sixers, he had a regular season record of 154-82 and a postseason record of 20-15.
While they might not have had the playoff success they wanted, Rivers still had a positive impact for the Philadelphia 76ers. They were a top seed in the Eastern Conference every year, and he helped turn Joel Embiid into an MVP-level talent. There is no denying the work he did during his brief stint as head coach.
Who could replace Doc Rivers as head coach of the Philadlephia 76ers?
With Doc Rivers out now, the Philadelphia 76ers are in the hunt for a new coach. Luckily for them, there are multiple big names on the market.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported a list of names the Sixers are expected to target in their search for a replacement. It included the likes of Monty Williams, Nick Nurse, Mike Budenholzer, and assistant coach Sam Cassell.
The Sixers’ search for a new coach is expected to include Mike Budenholzer, Sam Cassell, Mike D’Antoni, Nick Nurse, Frank Vogel and Monty Williams, sources tell ESPN.
One of the more interesting names being thrown around is Mike D'Antoni. He was the longtime coach of the Houston Rockets when James Harden made his rise to superstardom. The All-Star point guard has a player option for next season, and could choose to become a free agent this summer.
Following the Phoenix Suns firing him, Monty Williams is another name to watch out for. He is well respected around the league, and spent some time in Philadelphia as an assistant coach.
With two stars on the roster, the 76ers need a coach with experience. Their window of contention is open now, so whoever they bring in will have to be ready to compete at the highest level right away.