Fansided

Doc Rivers’ 5 biggest mistakes as Clippers president of operations

By John Buhler

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 25: Head coach Doc Rivers of the Los Angeles Clippers reacts to a call during the second half of Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center at Staples Center on April 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 25: Head coach Doc Rivers of the Los Angeles Clippers reacts to a call during the second half of Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center at Staples Center on April 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES,CA – DECEMBER 25: Head coach Doc Rivers of the Los Angeles Clippers talks to Austin Rivers
LOS ANGELES,CA – DECEMBER 25: Head coach Doc Rivers of the Los Angeles Clippers talks to Austin Rivers /

1. The Austin Rivers trade with the New Orleans Pelicans

It was a strange move at the time, but it was a good move for the Rivers Clan and not a bad one on the court, but Rivers trading for his son Austin Rivers with the New Orleans Pelicans was not going to sit well with the guys in the Clippers locker room.

The younger Rivers was a former one-and-done player at Duke. He was the 10th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Pelicans. It was a bad fit for him in New Orleans and he was on the fast track to being out of the league. On paper, the Clippers won that trade with the Pelicans, as Rivers is a solid NBA backup point guard, but everybody hates daddy ball.

Rivers would give his son preferential treatment over many of his players. He wouldn’t berate his son like he would with other players when they made on-court mistakes. Rotational players didn’t like it and the starters started to question the move. After one good second-half with the Clippers, Rivers would pay his son handsomely with a multi-year deal.

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Once Paul was kind of done with the daddy ball elements of Clippers basketball, he began to make his mind up that he was going to sign elsewhere in 2017 free agency. Not to say that the Rivers Men were the only reason Paul forced a trade to Houston, but it didn’t help keep the Clippers core together, that’s for sure.

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