Rivers signs with Philly

So how do you think they will do?

I think it is a good choice for them.

Boy he did to waste any time. I thought he would take a break, I guess the money is too good. Could not care less who he coaches for, he had it handed to him in LAC and blew it. This ought to be fun watching him deal with Embid , at times a moody sort

I don’t think its a fit. Doc has been known to not run very many practices and JoJo Embiid is famous for being out of shape. Let’s start there.

Sounds like a perfect fit.   

On a serious note, Embid has to work hard away from the team with a trainer to get him in shape.   He has to want it.   

Doc should be able to influence him to do that.  Doc's biggest challenge will be to get Simmons to shoot the damn ball.   I would recommend the nuclear option if all else fails.   Shoot or sit.

Rivers has a proven track record of winning in the NBA so Philly hiring him is not a surprise.

As long as there are plenty of veteran players so that the team will not need him to develop a bunch of young guys into immediate contributors Rivers will do well in Philly.

Rivers' best moments in the NBA seem to come from his management skill in working with the GM to supplement a veteran roster that is close to contending. He has that in Philly.

Doc carries the gravitas to keep young vets like Embiid and Simmons on task and the vision to use their skills as they are in a system that can take advantage of the strengths players already possess. I doubt he spends much time on Simmons shooting or Embiid adding anything to his game other than conditioning. I think instead he builds off of their inside game which other NBA teams are so susceptible to given the reliance on outside shooting and defending gunners out at the arc.

Harris was fantastic under Rivers and could be the key again. Letting Simmons and Embiid serve their natural ability and instincts to pack it inside should open up a return of Harris' shooting from his slight decline this year and give him the spacing he needs. I'm not sure what role a Horford or even Thybulle would fit under Rivers, but I would expect several bodies to move in and out this offseason to alter the roster to fit the games Embiid, Simmons and Harris already have. Rivers isn't about re-inventing the wheel, he's about getting the most mileage out of what he has. I think the modern NBA game could be set up to fail against a team built to punish you in the paint. This could be fun for Rivers and Philly fans.

So, what do you think will happen to our old friend Al Horford?

RosalieTCeltics wrote:So, what do you think will happen to our old friend Al Horford?

He’s going to continue thanking his agent every day for stealing money.

Seriously he will be bought out, that’s a definite, not how just when.....

The one thing I would hate to see is them ending up with Buddy Hield. He is supposedly not talking to Walton and they have him being traded. I think he is a terrific player, but, is ticked about being made a sixth man, so I guess there is no room here for him!!!

RosalieTCeltics wrote:The one thing I would hate to see is them ending up with Buddy Hield.  He is supposedly not talking to Walton and they have him being traded.  I think he is a terrific player, but, is ticked about being made a sixth man, so I guess there is no room here for him!!!

There’s plenty of room for him here if we made the right trade. What’s wrong with him for GH? They would have to add some filler to make the numbers work, but he could be the starting 2 with let’s say RWill, Tatum, Brown and Kemba.

Horford will go in the Heild trade, either to the kings or a third team, IMO.

I have to disagree that Harris has ever been a fantastic player anywhere. I would argue if he was fantastic at the Clippers, why in the world did they trade him after playing the parts of two season there?

He's a solid NBA starter for sure, but not worth anything near the contract that Philly handed him after Butler left ( I would argue they were desperate).

I think IF Philly can somehow trade him this off-season, they will.

Harris looked terrible in the playoffs