Doc Rivers Could Land in L.A. as Sixers Eye Major Coaching Change: Analyst

It’s no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers have had a tough season. The Lakers are currently 31-47 and are fighting to try and get the last spot in the play-in tournament.

With the struggles, the Lakers have had this season changes are certainly expected for the franchise after the season. Those changes will likely start with the firing of head coach Frank Vogel, according to a new story from Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. That firing could set off a chain reaction in the NBA that could affect multiple teams including the Philadelphia 76ers.

Changes Coming in Philly?

The first name that the story mentions as a possible replacement for Vogel is Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder. According to Fischer, there is a lot of skepticism across the league that Snyder would want to coach the Lakers and that’s where Sixers head coach Doc Rivers comes in.

Doc Rivers, the Philadelphia 76ers’ head coach, is another active bench leader being mentioned by league personnel as a potential Lakers candidate. Rivers’ tenure in Philadelphia has also come into question of late, spurred by team president Daryl Morey’s deadline acquisition of James Harden and the mounting speculation that followed about a potential reunification with Harden’s former Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni.

Rivers has also been linked by several league sources as a potential replacement for the Jazz, in the event Snyder does depart Utah. Rivers was the head coach in Boston from 2004 to 2013 under current Jazz CEO Danny Ainge.

Playoffs Looming

The timing of this report isn’t ideal for a Sixers team that is trying to focus on the playoffs. With four games left in the regular season, the Sixers are still in play for any of the top seeds in the conference.

The Sixers are 48-30 and are currently tied record-wise with the Milwaukee Bucks. They are also just a half-game behind the Boston Celtics for second place and two and a half games behind the Heat for the top seed.

Philly has a chance to pile on some more wins before the end of the season. According to tankathon, the Sixers have the second-easiest remaining schedule in the NBA. They’ll play road games at the Pacers and Raptors, then close with two home games against the Pacers and Pistons.

If the Sixers are at full strength they should be favored in all of their remaining games, which means they could land one of the top seeds in the conference. If Philly can land one of the top seeds then it could increase their chances to advance deep into the playoffs.