The Los Angeles Clippers fell short of their championship aspirations this season, getting bounced in the second round of the playoffs at the hands of the Denver Nuggets. Changes are to be expected after such a disappointing season, and they’ve officially begun as head coach Doc Rivers is leaving the team.
Coach Doc Rivers is out with the Clippers, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 28, 2020
Rivers leaves the Clippers after seven seasons leading the franchise. In that time, he won 356 regular-season games, giving him a win percentage of .631. In the playoffs, though, his record with the Clippers was just 27-32 (.458). Whether it was leading the ‘Lob City’ Clippers or Kawhi Leonard’s Clippers, Rivers made a habit of dipping out of the playoffs too early.
He’s extremely well-respected around the league and will have no trouble finding a role moving forward. The Clippers, on the other hand, shift their attention to finding his replacement.
Early Candidates
Early front-runners include members of Rivers’s coaching staff this past season, as well as some outside names. From Rivers’s staff are candidates like Tyronn Lue and Sam Cassell. Outside candidates already being linked to the team include Jeff Van Gundy.
Doc Rivers had two years left on his contract, sources tell ESPN. This is a challenging coaching search for Clippers, who are the ultimate win-now team. Among top candidates in the marketplace: Clippers assistant Ty Lue and former Rockets and Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy. https://t.co/Ov02RYNbK9
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 28, 2020
A few other names to keep an eye on will be Jason Kidd and Ime Udoka. Both are NBA veterans who will be getting jobs in the near future.
The Clippers are under a lot of pressure to get this hire right, as Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are not under contract long-term. If the Clippers want to take the next step, hiring the right head coach is vital.
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