Doc Rivers Sounds Off on Coaching Rumors, Denies Lakers Interest

As the 2021-2022 NBA season neared the end, rumors began flying about head coaching positions that might become vacant in the offseason. It's a yearly tradition not only in the NBA -- but in professional sports as a whole.

Rumors and reports about coaches potentially getting fired lead to whisperings about possible replacement candidates. And this season, Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers has been linked to a job that is now available.

Last week, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report made it apparent that Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel was on the hot seat. Barring a shocking championship run for the Lakers, who were in danger of missing the NBA Play-In Tournament, Vogel was likely to be shown the door at the end of the 2021-2022 season. 

As Vogel's future with the Lakers was officially in question, Fischer reported that Sixers head coach Doc Rivers was viewed as a potential replacement candidate in the eyes of league personnel, which is something Rivers wasn't happy about.

Clearing the Air

"I think it's disrespectful to all the other coaches," said Rivers after practice on Tuesday. "If I can say something about my job, I would say this that I don't like that has changed: I think the rumors of coaches taking jobs and coaches getting fired, I just think for my profession it makes our job so much harder. I think it's so unfair."

Although the rumors regarding Vogel were indeed true since he was relieved of his duties as Los Angeles' head coach earlier this week as their season officially ended on Sunday, Rivers believes the events leading up to Vogel's firing weren't right.

"I thought the Frank Vogel thing was so unfair," he continued. "I mean, we work just like how you guys work; how would you like your job to be mentioned every day? I mean, even if it's someone wanting to have it, it's just not right, and I hate it."

As far as the rumors regarding Rivers' potential move back to LA to coach the city's other team? The Sixers head coach quickly shot down that notion.

"We talk a lot here, and everybody is happy here," Rivers explained. "We want to get this right. I came here for one reason. Like I said when I took [the job], you're going to like some of the things I do and not gonna like, and from a coaching point, you really can't care about that. But I am committed to winning. I think if we can turn this around, which we have from when we first got here to now, but we want to win it. ... I'm not a candidate. I have a job — and I'm very happy at my job."

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.