Philadelphia 76ers: 3 benefits to Doc Rivers as head coach
1. A deep staff
Rivers’ respect around the league cannot be overstated. Few coaches are a name brand, and Doc Rivers is one of the select few. When you hear that name, you think of the championship in ’08, and the glory years of modern Celtics history. The draw of Rivers’ name alone likely factored into Philadelphia’s decision to pursue him with such enthusiasm.
One benefit of Rivers’ reputation is the coaches who are willing to work under him. High-level assistants want to work for Doc Rivers. Just look at his staff in LA last season. Ty Lue is the hottest name on the coaching market, while Sam Cassell is expected to draw suitors of his own. Rivers can accumulate an impressive array of assistants.
The Sixers are already seeing early signs of that. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, former Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry could join Rivers’ staff in Philadelphia. Gentry would be an impressive hire, not only due to his own reputation, but due to his offensive know-how. It requires a great deal of creativity to make the Sixers offense work, and Gentry could prove essential in helping Rivers fit the pieces together.
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Philadelphia has managed to lure big-name assistants before. Monty Williams and Ime Udoka are prime examples — even Mike D’Antoni early on in the process. But Rivers is a different beast than Brett Brown, and you can expect him to compile a strong assortment of basketball minds on the Sixers’ sideline.