Oddsmakers Link Former 76ers Head Coach to LA Lakers

If the Lakers make a change, Doc Rivers could be among betting favorites.

After winning the NBA’s first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament, the Los Angeles Lakers haven’t been the same. 

A hot start to the year has certainly cooled down, as they currently hold a losing record of 18-19, which places them tenth in the Western Conference.

Over the previous ten games, the Lakers have won just three games. It’s apparent that players are growing frustrated, as they anticipated becoming championship contenders in the West under the leadership of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

As struggles persist in LA, outsiders believe that head coach Darvin Ham’s seat could be heating up. While it seems Ham’s job is safe for the time being, there are odds being placed on a potential replacement in the event the Lakers move on — and former Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers is high up on the list.

Looking at Rivers’ Odds

BetOnline recently placed odds on nine coaches who could potentially be next in line for the LA job if it becomes available. With 2/1 odds, Phil Handy is currently the favorite. As one of Ham’s many assistants, Handy would make it an easy transition if an in-season move is made.

Then, there’s Doc Rivers with 3/1 odds. Over the offseason, Rivers was cut loose by the Sixers early. Although the head coach planned to finish out the remaining couple of years on his contract after a third-straight second-round exit in the playoffs, the Sixers were ready to move on and eventually replaced Rivers with Nick Nurse.

Another former Sixers assistant pops up on the list as well. Just behind Rivers and former Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts, Dave Joerger is there with 5/1 odds. When Rivers joined the Sixers in 2020, he hired Joerger as one of his top assistants. Currently, Joerger serves as a coaching consultant in Cleveland. 

Long Way From Change

This isn’t the first time Doc Rivers was linked to a struggling Lakers team. Prior to Frank Vogel’s exit, Rivers was viewed as a potential replacement if the Sixers were to move on a few seasons earlier than his contract’s expiration date.

The Lakers ended up firing Vogel months after he was rumored to potentially be on the hot seat. That’s when Darvin Ham entered the picture, landing the job after spending several seasons as a Milwaukee Bucks assistant.

When it comes to the NBA, it’s tough not to believe that where there’s smoke, there’s typically fire. The situation with the Lakers is clearly far from ideal, but the Lakers are likely to see it through with Ham, as his first season in charge led to a Conference Finals appearance last year.