Rivers Warns Against Rivers
Thanksgiving Dinner may have been more interesting than usual this year for the Rivers family, as news is surfacing that Doc Rivers advised Sixers management to steer clear of free agent Austin Rivers, his son.
“He was high on Philly’s list before I took the job,’’ Doc Rivers told The New York Post.
“It was one of the guards they wanted. When I took the job, I said, ‘You don’t want that. You got too many other things we have to deal with.”
There was rumored interest between the Sixers and Austin Rivers early in the offseason. While many speculated the Sixers could try and unite father and son in the City of Brotherly Love, those hopes were soon dashed when the New York Knicks signed Rivers to a 3 year, $10 million deal.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeaux was reportedly a large reason for Austin River’s interest in the Knicks, who worked with Doc Rivers in Boston and earned the coach’s praise.
“Tom just likes competitive players — always has,’’ Doc Rivers also told the New York Post.
“We’re very similar — give us 12 competitors, we’ll figure it out.”
Even in an offseason where the Sixers welcomed a large amount of roster turnover, Rivers’ wishes for the team to steer away from his son are telling about their relationship within the same organization. As Doc steps into a brand new situation it is in no way inappropriate for Doc to exercise this route.
While fans will continue to hope for a Rivers reunion, it should be widely accepted that that ship has sailed.
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Categorized:Sixers