NBA Rumors: Doc Rivers Viewed as a Potential Candidate for Lakers Job?

Just a few seasons ago, the Los Angeles Lakers were crowned NBA Champions during the first season of the LeBron James-Anthony Davis era. Since then, nothing has

Just a few seasons ago, the Los Angeles Lakers were crowned NBA Champions during the first season of the LeBron James-Anthony Davis era. Since then, nothing has gone right as LA has struggled to hit its stride.

Last season, the Lakers followed up their championship year by barely making the playoffs. After wrapping up the regular season with a 42-30 record, Los Angeles grabbed the No. 7 seed.

In past years, being the seventh seed meant a trip to the playoffs, but these days, the seventh seed would have to participate in the NBA's Play-In Tournament.

The Lakers managed to squeak their way into the postseason, but they didn't find much success beyond that. When they faced the second-seeded Phoenix Suns, the Lakers fell way short and lost the series to the eventual runner-ups.

After making some questionable splashes this past offseason, the Lakers found themselves struggling even more this year. With just a handful of games left in the regular season, the Lakers currently place 11th in the Western Conference and are in danger of missing the playoffs.

As the long and dreadful regular season for the Lakers winds down, it seems there is only a matter of time before Los Angeles head coach Frank Vogel moves on.

Vogel's on the Hot Seat

Vogel was among several coaches rumored to be sitting on a hot seat throughout the year. At this point, nothing has changed. According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Lakers are still expected to part ways with Vogel after the season no matter what.

Considering the Lakers will still employ NBA superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Los Angeles job will remain intriguing for potential new hires. Not many names have been linked to the Lakers, but Fischer hinted that league sources had mentioned Sixers head coach Doc Rivers as a possible candidate.

Rivers to the Lakers?

"Doc Rivers, the Philadelphia 76ers’ head coach, is another active bench leader being mentioned by league personnel as a potential Lakers candidate. Rivers’ tenure in Philadelphia has also come into question of late, spurred by team president Daryl Morey’s deadline acquisition of James Harden and the mounting speculation that followed about a potential reunification with Harden’s former Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni." 

Ever since the first-seeded Sixers dropped in the second round of the playoffs to the fifth-seeded Atlanta Hawks last year, many believed that Rivers would have a short leash in Philadelphia.

However, Rivers impressed the Sixers as the team not only survived the long and dreadful Ben Simmons saga -- but remained one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference through it all.

While Joel Embiid's MVP-caliber play certainly plays a significant part in Philly's ability to stay alive during that tough time, Rivers deserves a lot of the credit, too, for being the one to steer the ship and keeping the team on track.

While Fischer reports there was some speculation about Mike D'Antoni potentially replacing Rivers in Philly in the future, past reports have quickly shot down the notion that's something the Sixers will be interested in. Barring an extremely disappointing playoff run, it seems unlikely the Sixers will look to move on from Rivers after the 2021-2022 NBA season.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.