What Should the 76ers Do With Doc Rivers?

On June 3, 2022, the Philadelphia Phillies fired Joe Girardi just on the brink of Summer. The decision has brought them all the way to the NLCS with World Series aspirations. The Philadelphia 76ers should think about making that same decision with Doc Rivers.

Regardless of the sport, culture matters in a locker room. Unfortunately for the organization, the 76ers have built a culture of underwhelming in the spotlight during the Rivers regime. Two second round playoff losses and a handful of defeats on national television have consistently disappointed fans, and Rivers is taking much of the blame for it all. With that said, does he deserve most of the blame for the team's failures? Would parting ways with Rivers fix the Sixers? 

If Philadelphia was to fire Doc Rivers this year with the season underway, a new face would immediately take control of the team; it is likely that it would be an interim coach from within like Sam Cassell or Dave Joerger. There are no guarantees in professional sports, but history has shown that a move like this can immediately light a spark in a team. It happened quite literally a block away from the 76ers to the Phillies this season.

While Rivers has done some nice things with the team, there has also been plenty of cause for concern about the way that he coaches. For example, the way that he utilized Joel Embiid in the 2022-2023 season opener against the Boston Celtics was questionable. Embiid was by far the most fouled player in the league last season with 803 free throw attempts in only 68 games. In the first game of this season, Rivers had Embiid playing from the top of the key on nearly every possession. He still managed to get to the line nine times, but that number could have been a lot higher had he spent more time in the post. Instead, Embiid had six turnovers playing outside of his natural position on the court, which is a direct result of Rivers' management. 

Despite Rivers' underachieving playoff stints in Philadelphia, not all of the blame can be put on his shoulders. Brett Brown, the head coach that Rivers succeeded, never got any further than the second round with the Sixers either. However, Rivers is a future Hall of Fame coach that has been around the NBA since 1983. The way that he has utilized some of his players and his inability to take the team over the hump has put him on the hot seat.

Is it too early to overreact after only one game into the 2022-2023 season? Will Doc Rivers keep his job for the entire year, or will the Sixers turn elsewhere in an attempt to save their season? With the season barely underway, the 76ers already have fans asking themselves these questions.