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76ers Rumors: Doc Rivers, Ty Lue, Mike D'Antoni are Final Three Candidates

The latest wave of 76ers rumors regarding the head coach vacancy indicates that Doc Rivers, Ty Lue, and Mike D'Antoni are the final three candidates they will consider.
Justin Grasso|
76ers Rumors: Doc Rivers, Ty Lue, Mike D'Antoni are Final Three Candidates
76ers Rumors: Doc Rivers, Ty Lue, Mike D'Antoni are Final Three Candidates

Although the Philadelphia 76ers added another head coaching candidate in the mix of their search this week, that will be the final prospect they will consider at this point. The top three finalists for the Sixers' coaching vacancy are former Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers, Clippers assistant Ty Lue, and former Houston Rockets head coach, Mike D'Antoni.

It's been quite a ride for the last month or so. Back in August, when the 76ers wrapped up their run in the NBA's bubble down in Orlando, the team wasted no time firing Brett Brown after seven seasons. Although Brown exceeded expectations following his days during 'The Process,' it was clear his time was running short in Philly.

In search of a new beginning, the Sixers targeted a handful of candidates such as Jay Wright, Dave Joerger, Mike Brown, Ty Lue, and Ime Udoka. Of those five candidates, only Lue continued to remain relevant in the 76ers' search. Meanwhile, two other coaches became free agents as their teams were also eliminated from playoff contention.

Former Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan and Mike D'Antoni each earned interviews with the Sixers shortly after becoming available. Donovan intrigued the Sixers but felt a stronger bond with the Chicago Bulls. Therefore, the Sixers' head coach vacancy clearly belonged to Lue or D'Antoni. Once the Clippers shockingly let go of Rivers, though, Philly couldn't help themselves but jump in.

On Monday, the Sixers reached out to Rivers' representatives to check his availability. By Wednesday, Rivers was in Philly meeting with 76ers' Managing Partners Josh Harris and David Blitzer shortly after having discussions with General Manager Elton Brand. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Rivers is the third and final candidate on the Sixers' list of potential hires. There's no official deadline set for a decision, but Wojnarowski reports a "decision is expected this week."

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

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

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