Doc Rivers Has Agreed to Unofficial Extension with Clippers

Idiotic (I’m going to call them what they are, folks) rumors have swirled the past couple days about Doc Rivers going to the Lakers this summer to take over the head coaching role from Luke Walton. I won’t go into the numerous reasons why this seemed anywhere from incredibly unlikely to utterly laughable, but the bottom line is that Doc Rivers has seemed to love coaching the Clippers the past couple seasons, and every indication is that the Clippers have loved the work he’s done with the team (and rightfully so).

Today, before the Clippers-Pacers game, Doc put all the rumors to rest by stating, firmly, that he’s talked with Steve Ballmer, and that he’s agreed to a “longer extension” with the Clippers after extending a deal last summer that would give him an opt-out this summer. He likes the fit here, and thinks there’s more work to be done. The Clippers, of course, are happy with what Doc’s done this season, as he’s put forth a Coach of the Year level performance for the 41-30 underdog Clips.

Really, this seems like a foregone conclusion. Doc Rivers has effectively been the face of the franchise since he came over in 2013, and that’s persisted even with the arrival of Steve Ballmer, Lawrence Frank, and Jerry West. He’s likable, well-respected by his peers and the media, and, importantly, one of the best-regarded coaches by players. This season, I’m not sure there are any coaches who would have done a better job with this team, and the Clippers probably recognize that as well.

Doc has had his ups and downs with the Clippers franchise, but he’s been phenomenal the past two seasons, and fans should be thrilled that he will be with the team for the foreseeable future. Congrats Doc!

For the entirety of Doc’s comments, check the embedded tweet below: