Doc Rivers' Former Sixers Assistant 'Finalizing' Deal to Join Bucks

Doc Rivers will officially take over as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks.

The former Philadelphia 76ers head coach is reportedly set to reunite with one of his Philly assistants as he gets settled in.

Earlier last week it was hinted that Rivers was targeting former Philadelphia assistant Dave Joerger. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Joeger is finalizing a deal to join Rivers’ Milwaukee staff officially.

Joerger’s last official stop started in 2020. At the time, Joerger joined forces with Doc Rivers when he took the Sixers’ head coaching job after spending seven seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers.

At the time, Joerger received attention as a potential head coach candidate and was even reportedly considered a possible target for the Sixers after they cut ties with Brett Brown after seven years. While Joerger’s chances of taking over the Sixers as the head coach were low to begin with, the team was pleased with his service throughout the previous three seasons.

Ultimately, the Rivers-Joerger connection didn’t help the Sixers accomplish their goal of winning an NBA title. While the Sixers found a lot of success in the regular season throughout the three-year stretch, they couldn’t get past the second round of the playoffs.

Last year, the Sixers battled with the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals after defeating the Brooklyn Nets in sweeping fashion. The series went seven games, resulting in a victory for the Celtics.

After the postseason run concluded, Rivers was let go by the Sixers. Joerger’s future at that point was unclear. When the Sixers hired Nick Nurse to replace Rivers, Joerger wasn’t expected to return. Although he didn’t take an official assistant coaching position elsewhere, Joerger reportedly served as a coaching consultant for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

With Rivers back on a bench, Joerger is expected to join him. The two-time head coach will continue working on the sidelines as an assistant, gaining another solid opportunity to work with one of the NBA’s most competitive rosters at the moment.