6 Coach Candidates Linked to 76ers After Doc Rivers' Departure

The Philadelphia 76ers had a significant decision to make following their second-round loss against the Boston Celtics in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. Although the head coach Doc Rivers had two years left on his contract, outsiders assumed another Eastern Conference Semifinals loss could lead to his firing.

Following the Game 7 blowout loss to the Celtics, Rivers didn’t leave any indication that he knew his time was up.

“Yeah,” Rivers responded when asked if he planned to be the Sixers’ head coach moving forward. “I think I got two years left.”

It turns out that Rivers’ Game 7 postgame press conference on Sunday would be his last as a member of the 76ers. Two days later, the Sixers announced they would part ways with Rivers after three seasons.

“Doc is one of the most successful coaches in NBA history, a future Hall of Famer, and someone I respect immensely,” said Sixers’ President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey. “We’re grateful for all he did in his three seasons here and thank him for the important impact he made on our franchise. After having the chance to reflect upon our season, we decided that certain changes are necessary to further our goals of competing for a championship.”

With Rivers out of the picture, the Sixers will begin a search for a new head coach. Shortly after Rivers’ firing became official, a handful of coaching candidates were linked to the Sixers via ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Who’s On The Radar?

Mike Budenholzer

A former San Antonio Spurs assistant, Budenholzer picked up his first head coaching gig with the Atlanta Hawks in 2013. Following his departure in 2018, Budenholzer became the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. With the Bucks, Budenholzer achieved a 271-120 regular season record, and went 39-26 in the playoffs. He coached Milwaukee to an NBA Championship in 2021 and was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year two seasons prior. After the Bucks fell short to the Miami Heat in the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, Budenholzer was cut loose.

Sam Cassell

The former standout guard has received his fair share of head coaching interest over the last couple of years, but he’s never been viewed as a top candidate. Perhaps, that changes with the Sixers. Cassell has built a strong relationship with notable Sixers players such as Tyrese Maxey and James Harden over the years. Promoting Cassell could be good for Maxey’s growth, potentially convincing Harden to stick around if that’s in the plans and keeping familiarity within the organization while making a notable change.

Mike D’Antoni

Last offseason, the Sixers were being referred by many as just another version of the old Houston Rockets as Daryl Morey added PJ Tucker, Danuel House Jr., and Montrezl Harrell to join James Harden. Adding former Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni to the mix strengthens that view. The interest in D’Antoni is far from surprising, considering he coached for the Rockets and the Sixers in the past. Also, D’Antoni was recognized as a favorite to replace Brett Brown before the Sixers hired Doc Rivers in 2020.

Nick Nurse

The former Toronto Raptors head coach has a similar resume to Mike Budenholzer. In 2019, Nurse coached the Raptors to a title. In 2020, he was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year. After spending five seasons in Toronto, Nurse left the Raptors with a 227-163 record in the regular season. In the playoffs, Toronto was 25-16 during his time. Prior to his run as an assistant and head coach of the Raptors, Nurse was a product of the Rockets’ organization as he coached their G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, for a couple of seasons.

Frank Vogel

In search of his fourth head coaching job in the NBA, Vogel could potentially bring his championship resume to the 76ers. The Wildwood, New Jersey-born head coach had stints with the Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic, and the Los Angeles Lakers. During his first season with the Lakers, Vogel helped LA win the NBA Finals during the bubble run. Prior to his stop in Indiana, Vogel coached for the Sixers as an assistant in 2004-2005.

Monty Williams

Before the Sixers cut Rivers loose, Monty Williams was the latest head coach to be fired after his team came up short in the playoffs. With the Phoenix Suns falling to the Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals, Williams was cut loose. Before Williams inked a deal with the Suns in 2019, he was a top assistant for Brett Brown in Philadelphia. Perhaps, his relationship with Joel Embiid and the team’s higher-ups could make him a favorite to land back on his feet with the 76ers.