The ever so dramatic season of the Los Angeles Clippers just released a brand new episode Saturday morning involving Doc Rivers.
This season has been a roller coaster of emotions for Clippers fans to say the least. After starting off to a red hot 14-2 start, many believed this would be the season where the Clippers would finally break through and reach their first Western Conference Finals in franchise history. Well, it doesn’t even look like the Clippers will have home-court advantage for the playoffs which start next month.
With Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and J.J. Redick set to become unrestricted free agents this summer, a lot of the attention is on them and what the Clippers will do in order to bring back. As of right now, the attention shouldn’t be drawn on those three, it should be drawn on current president of of basketball operations and head coach, Doc Rivers.
According to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein, Doc Rivers could be spending his last season in Los Angeles. Stein says that there has been a lot of chatter the last few weeks all throughout the NBA Front-Office and that the Orland Magic and Rivers will explore a reunion down the road.
Could a first-round exit really be the end of the Doc Rivers era in LA?
Should the Clippers move on from Doc Rivers?
— Blake Harris (@HarrisHighlight) March 18, 2017
Doc Rivers began his coaching career with the Orlando Magic in 2000. He had a pretty successful first four seasons, finishing with a record of 170-158. They made the playoffs three seasons, but didn’t win a single series, and posted a record of 5-10 in the postseason. After starting 1-10 to the 2004 season, Doc Rivers was fired by the Magic.
Could this be the reunion 13 years in the making? Could Doc want to go back and finish what he started?
Now obviously, down the road could mean a lot of things. Does it mean next season, or does it mean when Doc’s contract his up? 2018-2019 is how long Doc is under contract to serve as Clippers coach and president of basketball operations. He is currently in his third year of the five-year deal he got after Steve Ballmer purchased the Clippers.
In his four seasons with the ball club, Rivers has a record of 206-109. However, the Clippers have had less wins every season (57,56,53,40). The Clippers have made the playoffs every year under Doc’s reign, but have still failed to make it out of the second round. With a postseason record of 15-18, Rivers hasn’t gotten the Clippers over the hurdle many expected, and still do expect him to do.
Check out the full Marc Stein article here