76ers' Daryl Morey Releases Statement After Doc Rivers' Departure
The Philadelphia 76ers have moved on from their head coach Doc Rivers on Tuesday.
With Rivers out the door, he leaves the Sixers after three seasons, wrapping up his contract two years early after signing with the team following the 2019-2020 NBA season.
After the Sixers made their decision official with an announcement on Wednesday morning, the team’s President of Basketball Operations, Daryl Morey, released a statement regarding Doc Rivers.
“Doc is one of the most successful coaches in NBA history, a future Hall of Famer, and someone I respect immensely," Morey wrote. "We’re grateful for all he did in his three seasons here and thank him for the important impact he made on our franchise. After having the chance to reflect upon our season, we decided that certain changes are necessary to further our goals of competing for a championship.”
Morey and Rivers joined the Sixers at the same time during the 2020 offseason. At the time, Morey stepped down from the Houston Rockets front office, while Doc Rivers was dismissed from the Los Angeles Clippers after a seven-season run.
Rivers became the Sixers’ replacement for Brett Brown, who steered the ship for seven seasons. As Brown’s time in Philadelphia clearly ran its course, the Sixers hoped that Rivers’ decades of experience could help Philadelphia get past the second round for the first time since 2001.
The Doc Rivers era started on the right foot. As the Sixers clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference, they were recognized as championship contenders off the bat. Unfortunately, they fell short in the second round of the playoffs.
In the following year, the Sixers finished in fourth place. After taking down the Toronto Raptors in six games during the first round, the Sixers’ playoff run once again ended in the second round against the Miami Heat during the 2022 run.
The 2023 NBA Playoffs seemed like a do-or-die scenario for Rivers. The Sixers once again picked up one of the higher seeds in the East by finishing third overall. After a first-round sweep against the Brooklyn Nets, the Sixers had to face the defending Eastern Conference Champions, the Boston Celtics.
The Sixers put up a good fight for the most part but fell flat in the final two games when they needed a win. After a disappointing Game 7 loss on the road, many believed that could be the end for Doc Rivers in Philadelphia.
While the veteran head coach planned to play out his final two seasons on his contract, Morey and the Sixers decided it was time to move on.
This summer, the Sixers will be on the hunt for their 24th head coach in franchise history. Rivers leaves the organization with a 154-82 regular season record. In the playoffs, the Sixers went 20-15 without Rivers, making it to the Eastern Conference Semifinals three times.
