The Philadelphia 76ers have once again been bounced from the postseason in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. This time, around, Philly could not take down the Miami Heat, which picked up a Game 6 win in the City of Brotherly Love on Thursday night to secure a berth in the conference finals.
In the aftermath of their season coming to an end, much has been made about what the Sixers might have store this summer. The biggest question involves the future of James Harden, who has a player option for the 2022-23 season that would pay him more than $47 million dollars and looked like a shell of his former self for much of the postseason.
There’s also the matter of whether or not Doc Rivers is coaching the team next year. Whether or not that’s the case remains to be seen, but if he does find himself on the job market, Brian Windhorst of ESPN reported on Get Up! that the Los Angeles Lakers would have him atop their list of potential head coaches for next year.
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“Doc Rivers is under contract for next year, however, there is a team in Los Angeles — the Lakers — who are watching the developments closely over the next couple of days if the Sixers elect to make a change there, and it’s a possibility,” Windhorst said. “It also depends on where the ownership is about potentially paying out Doc Rivers’ contract, where Daryl Morey is about wanting to replace him — remember, Daryl Morey didn’t hire Doc Rivers.
“But if Doc Rivers becomes free, the Los Angeles Lakers will definitely have interest,” Windhorst continued. “Now, they have a process, they have numerous candidates, but he will immediately become a leading contender to get that Laker job.”
Rivers, of course, spent seven years in L.A. as the head coach of the Clippers.