{"id":8876,"date":"2017-08-05T14:40:21","date_gmt":"2017-08-05T18:40:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonnba.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=8876"},"modified":"2017-08-05T14:43:39","modified_gmt":"2017-08-05T18:43:39","slug":"clippers-relieve-doc-rivers-front-office","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2017\/08\/05\/clippers-relieve-doc-rivers-front-office\/","title":{"rendered":"Los Angeles Clippers Relieve Doc Rivers of Front Office Duties"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In a move that will undoubtedly have many in Los Angeles breathing a sigh of relief, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/riverdo01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Doc Rivers<\/a><\/strong> will no longer be in charge of the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/category\/clippers\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">L.A. Clippers<\/a>&#8216; front office. Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations and former NBA coach <strong>Lawrence Frank<\/strong> will step in to oversee basketball operations, including general manager <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/wohlda01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dave Wohl<\/a><\/strong>. Frank will report directly to Clippers owner <strong>Steve Ballmer<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>ESPN\u2019s <strong>Adrian Wojnarowski<\/strong> was first to break the news:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Story on ESPN: Clippers&#39; Doc Rivers will return to primary duties of coach, freed of front office responsibilities. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/r2hfOCbcUc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/r2hfOCbcUc<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/wojespn\/status\/893529432991911936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">August 4, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Rivers will remain with the Clippers in his coaching capacity.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Los Angeles Clippers Relieve Doc Rivers of Front Office Duties<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The Clippers released a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nba.com\/clippers\/press-release-la-clippers-announce-expansion-leadership-team-through-new-roles-rivers-frank\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">statement<\/a> announcing the change as an \u201cexpansion\u201d of the franchise\u2019s \u201cleadership team.\u201d In the statement, Rivers is quoted as saying, \u201cI am committed to the Clippers&#8217; success and am excited to focus on the coaching side, as two-thirds of our roster will be new this year.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Nice spin and pleasant quote, but is there really any question that this is a demotion for Rivers?<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Rivers\u2019 Unremarkable Front Office Performance <\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Three years ago, the Clippers restructured their front office and promoted Rivers to President of Basketball Operations. The promotion was odd, in that Rivers had no formal front office experience. Regardless, he was put in complete control of the selection, signing, and development of L.A.&#8217;s roster, while simultaneously maintaining head coaching duties. The experiment did not work. Rivers was simply unable to balance the responsibilities of head coach and general manager well.<\/p>\n<p>Rivers inherited the Clippers&#8217; \u201cBig Three\u201d of <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/paulch01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chris Paul<\/a><\/strong>, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/griffbl01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Blake Griffin<\/a><\/strong>, and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jordade01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">DeAndre Jordan<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0but failed to build on this core to create a true playoff contender in the West. His attempts over the last few off-seasons to upgrade the team\u2019s second unit and secure a decent small forward failed miserably. Moreover, Rivers developed a reputation for making ill-advised moves and trading away decent assets for lesser ones. Remember the waste of a mid-level exception on <strong>Spencer<\/strong> <strong>Hawes<\/strong>? The downgrade from scrappy <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/barnema02.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Matt Barnes<\/a><\/strong> to crappy <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/s\/stephla01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lance Stephenson<\/a><\/strong>? The disappointment of <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/greenje02.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jeff Green<\/a><\/strong>?<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Rivers and His Son<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Perhaps the most head-scratching moves made by Rivers in his dual role as head coach and general manager involved his son <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/riverau01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Austin Rivers<\/a><\/strong>. In 2015, Rivers facilitated a three-team trade to bring the then under-achieving Duke graduate to Los Angeles. At the time, the Clippers desperately needed a small forward and draft picks to trade. Rivers dealt away both for an unexceptional combo guard with his DNA. In exchange for the younger Rivers, the Clippers sent forward <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/douglch01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Chris Douglas-Roberts<\/a><\/strong> and a 2017 second-round draft pick to the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/category\/celtics\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Boston Celtics<\/a>. They also traded swingman\u00a0<strong>Reggie<\/strong> <strong>Bullock<\/strong> to the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/category\/suns\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Phoenix Suns<\/a>. The Celtics received forward <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/randosh01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Shavlik Randolph<\/a><\/strong> from Phoenix in the trade. Was Austin Rivers worth losing three players? Probably not. The move left many crying nepotism.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, in the media frenzy that followed Paul\u2019s trade to the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/category\/rockets\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Houston Rockets<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MrMichaelEaves\/posts\/1239427866166362\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">SportsCenter anchor <strong>Michael Eaves<\/strong> reported<\/a> that Rivers turned down a trade that would have brought <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/anthoca01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Carmelo Anthony<\/a><\/strong> to Los Angeles in exchange for his son and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/c\/crawfja01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jamal Crawford<\/a><\/strong>. \u201cThat event led Paul to feel that keeping his son on the roster was more important to Doc than improving the team,\u201d Eaves wrote. Although neither of the Rivers has commented publically on the report, the idea of an NBA coach putting family over his franchise left a bad taste in many mouths.<\/p>\n<p>Despite being revered by many for his coaching abilities, Doc Rivers simply failed to prove himself as an executive. As a result, his accomplishments in Los Angeles are probably best described to date as legendarily mediocre.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Rivers Must Establish (Re-Establish?) Himself as an Elite Level Coach<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Have Rivers\u2019 inabilities as a general manager overshadowed his coaching abilities, or is he overrated as a coach? This coming season may answer that question. It is critical that Rivers prove himself in 2017-18 as a top-tier coach. If he fails to do so, the Clippers should part ways with him.<\/p>\n<p>Rivers was at his best with the Celtics, but was it due to his coaching skills or favorable circumstances? <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/aingeda01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Danny Ainge<\/a><\/strong> handled the role of team president for the Celtics at the time of Rivers&#8217; success in Boston, and he did so exceptionally well. Ainge landed <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/a\/allenra02.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ray Allen<\/a><\/strong>, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/garneke01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kevin Garnett<\/a><\/strong>, and a number of key free agents in the 2007 off-season, all of\u00a0whom contributed mightily to the Celtics 2007-08 NBA championship. Prior to the 2007-08 season, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/coaches\/riverdo01c.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rivers\u2019 playoff record <\/a>as a coach was\u00a0an unimpressive\u00a08-14. Draw your own conclusions.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Dual Role is a Dying Model<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>It\u2019s hard to both coach and build a team simultaneously. It\u2019s also highly undesirable. The person who signs a player\u2019s employment contract, negotiates with his agent, and has the ability to trade him on a whim can\u2019t simultaneously be effective as that player\u2019s teacher, confidant, mentor, and advisor. Such a setup will almost always breed contempt and lead to issues in the locker room.<\/p>\n<p>With Rivers&#8217; demotion, only three teams in the NBA still have coaches who also run the front office: the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/category\/pistons\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Detroit Pistons<\/a> (<strong>Stan Van Gundy<\/strong>), the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/category\/timberwolves\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Minnesota Timberwolves<\/a> (<strong>Tom Thibodeau<\/strong>), and the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/category\/spurs\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">San Antonio Spurs<\/a> (<strong>Gregg Popovich<\/strong>). Earlier this off-season, <strong>Mike Budenholzer<\/strong> resigned as the Atlanta Hawks&#8217; president of basketball operations, which was part of the Hawks\u2019 front office restructuring. As is the case with Rivers, Budenholzer will remain with the Hawks and focus solely on coaching.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo:<br \/>\n<a id=\"gvWak6dhRgJXCYaU9ojL4g\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.ca\/detail\/647021458\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'gvWak6dhRgJXCYaU9ojL4g',sig:'8BVzrUqjkEGxgXo00gobinihvjyax8_VdaMsVgoOXio=',w:'594px',h:'397px',items:'647021458',caption: true ,tld:'ca',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Los Angeles Clippers relieve Doc Rivers of his duties as President of Basketball Operations. Rivers will continue on as head coach of the franchise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1670,"featured_media":8896,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[27,2,62],"tags":[65,190,189,96,202,1145],"class_list":["post-8876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-clippers","category-featured","category-nba","tag-basketball","tag-doc-rivers","tag-los-angeles-clippers","tag-nba","tag-nba-news","tag-steve-ballmer"],"modified_by":"Lior Kozai (Managing Editor)","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1670"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8876"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8876\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8896"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8876"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}