Doc Rivers Urged Son Austin to Sign with Knicks over 76ers in NBA Free Agency

Doc and Austin Rivers have spent time together in the NBA already, but the Philadelphia 76ers head coach steered his son away from signing with his new team this offseason.

Speaking to Marc Berman of the New York Post, Doc explained why he pushed his son to join the New York Knicks:

"He was high on Philly's list before I took the job. 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.'

"For Austin it's better. He's his own player. Unfortunately for him, me being the dad, he's just an easy guy to target. I have felt since the separation, it's been really good for him."

Doc also said he told Austin that New York "is a great place" and his experience with the Knicks as a player was "great."

The father-son duo spent more than three seasons together with the Los Angeles Clippers from 2015 to 2018. Austin is the first player in NBA history to play for a team where his father is the head coach. The Clippers made the playoffs three out of four seasons with Doc as head coach and Austin as a player.

Despite having the opportunity to reunite this offseason with Doc moving to the Sixers, Austin joined the Knicks in a sign-and-trade deal with the Houston Rockets on Nov. 27. The 28-year-old averaged 8.8 points in 68 games last season with the Rockets.

Doc played with the Knicks from 1992 to 1994. He was part of the team that advanced to the 1994 NBA Finals before losing to the Rockets in seven games.