NBA Rumors: 76ers Dismiss Doc Rivers After Series Loss To Celtics

Doc Rivers is on the hunt for a new job.

The 76ers dismissed the head coach Tuesday morning, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, after Philadelphia fell to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup. Rivers was with the 76ers since 2020.

The Sixers finished second in the Atlantic Division with a 54-28 record and swept the Brooklyn Nets in the first round. Despite taking a 3-2 series lead against the Celtics, they, once again, weren’t able to close it out.

Wojnarowski reported that Philadelphia’s search for a new head coach will include Mike Budenholzer, Sam Cassell, Mike D’Antoni, Nick Nurse, Frank Vogel and Monty Williams. Williams was fired by the Phoenix Suns after their Western Conference semifinals loss to the Denver Nuggets, while the Milwaukee Bucks let Budenholzer go after the Bucks lost to the Miami Heat in Round 1.

The 76ers long have said “Trust the process,” but when two of your first-round picks (Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz) no longer are part of your team and you couldn’t win with James Harden and NBA MVP Joel Embiid, it begs the question of whether the process needs to be tweaked.

Maybe that’s exactly what they’re doing by getting rid of Rivers and looking for a new head coach.