Report: Doc Rivers to meet with Rockets in Houston this week

“Houston is in the mix, as well,” ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said. “From what I’m hearing, he could be in H-Town either Friday or Saturday.”

Former Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers is expected to meet with the Houston Rockets on Friday or Saturday regarding their coaching vacancy, according to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith.

Rivers just wrapped up a meeting with the 76ers in Philadelphia, but he does not appear to have accepted that job just yet.

Per Stephen A. Smith:

Doc Rivers was hanging for the Sixers last night, watching Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The Sixers are expected, in all likelihood, to offer him the job to be the head coach.

But Houston is in the mix, as well. From what I’m hearing, he could be in H-Town either Friday or Saturday.

Both the Sixers and Rockets have attractive jobs in large markets, with two All-Stars at both spots (Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid in Philadelphia, and James Harden and Russell Westbrook in Houston). The Sixers were swept out of the first round in the Eastern Conference playoffs, while the Rockets were knocked out in the second round out West.

Former Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni is believed to be the other finalist in Philadelphia, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Rivers and the Clippers mutually agreed to part ways after a disappointing loss in the second round of the 2020 playoffs to Denver. The Clippers led the series, 3-1, before dropping the final three games.

Over parts of 21 seasons as a head coach, Rivers has a 943-681 coaching record (.581) in the regular season, and 91-89 (.506) in the playoffs. Now 58 years old, he ranks 11th in all-time wins in the regular season, and seventh in playoff victories. He guided the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals in 2008 and 2010, headlined by the 2008 championship.

Austin Rivers, who is the 28-year-old son of Doc, has played in Houston for the past two seasons. As a result, there is familiarity between the Rivers family, the city, and organization. The younger Rivers has a player option in his contract to potentially return for the 2020-21 season.

Salary negotiations could also be something to watch, should Rivers end up with offers from both the Sixers and Rockets. With an average annual salary of more than $10 million, he was one of the league’s highest-paid coaches with the Clippers. Given the amount of open jobs on the market, Rivers probably has the leverage to command a similar figure.

Is Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta willing to spend to that extent? For perspective, media reports in 2019 indicated that Houston’s extension offer to D’Antoni included a base salary of only $2.5 million.

Besides Rivers, Houston’s other candidates are believed to include Clippers assistants Ty Lue and Sam Cassell; former Brooklyn head coach Kenny Atkinson; Dallas assistant Stephen Silas; Denver assistant Wes Unseld Jr.; and former Houston head coach Jeff Van Gundy. With GM Daryl Morey leading the search, there is no clear timetable for a hire.

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