76ers' Joel Embiid Welcomes Doc Rivers After Ex-Clippers HC's Reported Contract
October 1, 2020
The Philadelphia 76ers hired Doc Rivers to be the team's head coach on Thursday, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, just days after he parted ways with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Superstar center Joel Embiid welcomed Rivers to Philly shortly after the news broke:
The pair reportedly spoke before the appointment went public as well:
Rivers will have his work cut out for him with the Sixers. The team has exciting pillars in Embiid and Ben Simmons, though the supporting cast around them is expensive and ill-fitting. Barring major trades, Rivers will be tasked with finding a way to get the most out of players like Tobias Harris, Al Horford and Josh Richardson after that starting lineup struggled offensively for the entirety of the 2019-20 season.
Floor-spacing and halfcourt shot creation was a major issue for the Sixers. General manager Elton Brand will surely try to address those issues via trades, but if Horford and Harris' expensive contracts prove impossible to move, Rivers will need to make the most out of an awkward roster construction.
