Report: Suns to interview former Sixers head coach Doc Rivers

According to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Phoenix Suns “are advancing four coaches to meet for interviews in the coming days,” one of which is former Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers. Following the team’s Game 7, second-round defeat to the Boston Celtics, Rivers was fired by the Sixers on May 16. Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported Tuesday morning that Rivers “is expected to receive consideration from Phoenix’s new regime under owner Mat Ishbia.”

Among the others included in Wojnarowski’s tweet are former Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, Sacramento Kings associate head coach Jordi Fernandez, and Suns associate head coach Kevin Young, who also spent 2017-20 as a Sixers assistant.

Nurse previously interviewed for Philadelphia’s head coaching vacancy as well. Rivers was the Sixers’ head coach from 2020-21 through 2022-23. The Sixers earned a top-four seed during each of his seasons at the helm, but failed to advance beyond the second round every time and lost two different Game 7s in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. If hired, the Suns will mark Rivers’ fifth team as a head coach, joining Boston, Philadelphia, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Orlando Magic.