Doc Rivers Becomes Philadelphia 76ers Head Coach

After a rapid courtship and negotiation, Doc Rivers has reached agreement on a five-year deal to become the next coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, sources told ESPN on Thursday. Rivers' deal with the Sixers comes only three days after he parted with the LA Clippers. It also means he'll return to the Atlantic Division, where he'll be a principal rival of the Boston Celtics, with whom Rivers won an NBA title in 2008 as coach.

Sixers general manager Elton Brand on Monday reached out to Rivers and his agent, Lonnie Cooper, to gauge interest in the Sixers job. Rivers soon was on a flight to Philadelphia, where meetings on Wednesday with Brand and owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer had the sides moving quickly toward negotiating a multiyear deal.

Rivers takes over a Sixers team that lost in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs and continues to consider changes to a roster that Brand remains determined to construct around All-Stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.

Sources told ESPN on Thursday that one serious possibility to join Rivers' staff is Alvin Gentry, who in August was dismissed as head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans after five seasons.