Vincent Frank
Former Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers was fired by the team on Tuesday, two days after their season came to an end following a Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.
For the former championship head coach, this represents the end of an up-and-down three-year tenure in Philadelphia. While the 76ers won 65% of their regular season games under Rivers, they failed to make it as far as the Eastern Conference Finals in three years.
As Philadelphia turns the page, it seems as if Rivers himself is not yet done coaching. According to Chris Haynes of Turner Sports, Rivers “still has a desire to continue coaching in the NBA if the right opportunity presented itself.”
Outside of Philadelphia’s opening, there are four current vacancies around the NBA. This includes previous title contenders in that of the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns. These are the types of teams who might have interest in Rivers based on his experience and pedigree. Other openings include the Toronto Raptors and Detroit Pistons.
Doc Rivers career coaching record: 1,097-763, two conference titles, NBA title
Rivers, 61, received his first opportunity as an NBA head coach back in 1999-2000 with the Orlando Magic. He then took over as the Boston Celtics head coach from 2004-13, leading that organization to one NBA title and two NBA Finals appearances.
Related: Doc Rivers and top NBA head coach candidates
Unfortunately, a lack of playoff success has been an issue more recently. Since joining the Los Angeles Clippers as their head coach back in 2013-14, Rivers has earned a trip to the playoffs nine times. His teams have not made it out of the conference semifinals during that span.
