The LA Clippers and head coach Doc Rivers parting ways will carry many implications.
Few events could have transpired this off-season that would carry larger implications for the LA Clippers than moving on from their coach of the last seven years. Signing on in 2013, Doc Rivers has been a constant, guiding force for the franchise by navigating through all manner of turmoil (I refuse to write his name) and seeing the Clippers through many iterations and playing no small part in elevating the franchise to the NBA’s upper echelon. As an immense pillar for the team, it would stand to reason that the fallout surrounding his exit will be to scale. Particularly as it relates to roster construction and, subsequently, scheme.
Just about every coach has their ‘guy(s)’ on a team. The players they connect with on a deeper level than they might in other player-coach relationships. With longevity and really just who Doc is as a person, he tends to forge particularly strong relationships with his players, and the Clippers certainly have a few of them on their roster. Three players who have been undeniably critical to the Clippers’ success to this point, but may see their situations change now that Rivers is out of the picture.
The most obvious and immediate case in which Doc’s departure may weigh heavy has to be that of Montrezl Harrell. An impending unrestricted free agent, Harrell has seemed to already be preparing for a potential exit. With calculated leaks being fed to national media members, it’s seemed an awful lot like someone was doing their best to drive up his value ahead of free agency. At the expense of other Clippers players’ public image, no less. Regardless of what happened with Doc, it felt safe to assume that Montrezl would be signing elsewhere.
One of the few things that lent credence to reports of mutual interest between the Clippers and Harrell, however, was his relationship with head coach Doc Rivers. Prior to his arrival as part of the trade that sent Chris Paul to the Houston Rockets, Harrell had struggled to get any consistent playing time at the NBA level. So much so that he requested the Rockets send him down to the G-League, just to get some run. As it would turn out, the move to LA was exactly what he needed. A few months into his Los Angeles tenure, Montrezl managed to gain Rivers’ trust. Then, in the next few years, all he did was blossom into an NBA Sixth Man of The Year and one half of the highest-scoring bench duo of all time.
When presenting the Sixth Man award to Harrell, Doc Rivers remarked that more than a coach, he felt like a proud father-figure. That’s the type of relationship that Rivers and Harrell shared, and it’s been evident both on and off the court. Ultimately, it wound up playing a part in the Clippers’ downfall to the Denver Nuggets after being up 3-1. Doc insisted on sticking with his guy, and while Montrezl minutes did decrease, he did so all the way to the end. Without that guy on the bench to have his back, it becomes increasingly difficult to see Harrell staying in LA.
Now, transitioning to the other half of that legendary bench duo, the case of Lou Williams is nearly as glaring. When he was packaged in the very same Chris Paul trade, making it the second time he’d been traded in six months, Lou was famously ready to call it quits. That is, until he had a talk with Doc Rivers that convinced him to give basketball another shot. As if winning a Sixth Man of The Year award and being half of the highest-scoring bench duo ever wasn’t impressive enough, Lou won two of the awards back-to-back and became the highest scoring bench player in the history of the NBA. How’s that for a comeback story? None of that happens without Doc Rivers.
One can’t help but wonder if Doc’s departure causes Lou to consider retirement once more. However, that seems extremely unlikely when considering Lou is in the final year of his contract, worth some eight million dollars, and on a championship-caliber team. Despite the loss of his coach and quite possibly his second unit running mate, it would seem that if left up to him, Sweet Lou should look to sit tight. Emphasis on up to him. Regardless of whether Williams decides he’d like to continue playing, it’s entirely possible the Clippers’ front office looks to package his expiring contract in a deal for a more playmaking-oriented guard. Lou has expressed a desire to retire with the Clippers whenever it is that he is ready to hang it up, but nothing can be ruled out at this point.
As the third of Doc’s core players over the last three years and perhaps the player the Doc is closest to, Patrick Beverley is also probably the most secure in his position with the team. Making the NBA’s All-Defense second team this year, posting extremely efficient shooting splits when healthy, and being a member of the Clippers’ vaunted starting unit, Patrick Beverley is positioned best to flourish regardless of the person drawing up plays. Despite reports of locker room friction between the Clippers new and old guard, I trust that the issue wasn’t so much with Beverley. The only instance in which Beverley’s position with the Clippers could be put in jeopardy would be if he were included a trade to shake up the guard position for more playmaking. With that said, these are still early days and it’s tough to parse what’s legitimate versus conjecture.
The players we may see taking their leave are all a part of the Clippers’ core. Whatever roster moves wind up being made, the Clippers will undoubtedly look very different in terms of form and function. Never a dull moment in Clipperland!