The Los Angeles Clippers are reuniting father with son
ESPN reports that a deal is currently being finalized that will send Austin Rivers, the standout college guard that’s still trying to find his NBA footing, to the Los Angeles Clippers to become the first professional player to ever be coached by his father. The deal is also expected to send current L.A. Clippers guard, Reggie Bullock, to Phoenix, and the Celtics will receive Suns center Shavlik Randolph and the Clippers’ Chris Douglass-Roberts, who had a disappointing tenure in red, white and blue.
Rivers, the 10th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, was a top rated high school prospect, landing him a spot in Duke University’s rotation in 2011, where he averaged nearly 16 points per game. After being drafted by a rebuilding New Orleans Hornets–now the Pelicans–franchise, he started half the games he played in, but only had a 6 points per game average to show for it. Last week, he was dealt to Boston in the deal that sent standout Celtic forward Jeff Green to Memphis, but Rivers didn’t last in green for long. He’ll be headed to Los Angeles to help shore up a backcourt looking to make up for the loss of the potent Darren Collison, who is currently playing very well for a Sacramento Kings team that’s looking to make a serious playoff push now that their key players are healthy.
If Rivers can finally develop into the pro NBA scouts thought he could be when they deemed him a 1st round talent 3 years ago, Rivers may be right at home–literally–as a Clipper. Not to mention, his dad, better known as NBA Champion Doc Rivers, is one hell of an NBA coach.