How to blow up the Los Angeles Clippers
Doc Rivers
Doc Rivers has come a long way from not being able to get Tracy McGrady and his crew of flunkies over the proverbial playoff hill during his time in Orlando. He ventured off to Boston and was able to deliver an NBA championship over the much-hated Lakers. Finally, his journey has come full circle as he has been unable to get the trio of Paul, Griffin and Jordan along with their cast of zombie role players over the proverbial playoff hill.
If Rivers were to walk away from the game today, he’d be remembered as one of the top coaches of his time. Yet, I’m not here to write someone off into retirement. Plus, without Rivers, who else is Draymond Green going to be able to tell, “Cool story, Glenn.” We need Rivers in the NBA and it just so happens that the perfect place for him has opened up. What he needs is a new challenge.
The Magic are looking for a new face to head up their front office after letting go of Rob Hennigan after another wasted season kind of, sort of rebuilding.
As stated above, Doc got his start as a head coach with the Magic organization. Even though he was unable to get the team to an NBA Finals like Stan Van Gundy did, his time is looked back upon more fondly than the days of the Van Gundy-Dwight Howard era. Having a Hall of Fame talent like McGrady helps the aura of those days stay golden, but Orlando became home for Doc. His kids grew up there, Austin was named Florida’s Mr. Basketball in 2011 and even when he headed off to Boston the Rivers family would remain in Florida.
Now Rivers gets the opportunity to close the book on both his time with Orlando and on his coaching career in one fell swoop. Like some of his peers before him, Rivers should move from the sideline to the suite. His vocal chords can only take so much more rasping during in-between quarter interviews and Mic’d Up sessions.
Rivers has had roster control during his time with the Clippers, but he’s always been seen as a better coach than front office personnel. Going to Orlando would give him a chance to prove that he has the chops to make the right basketball decisions if given complete control of a franchise. Doc has his ring and that can never be taken away from him.
This move would give him an opportunity to build a team, a task that is much more intricate than X’s and O’s.