PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — After the 76ers fired former head coach Brett Brown near the end of August, General Manager Elton Brand emphasized he would conduct a thorough search to find Brown's replacement. It's safe to say that has been the case.
A little over a month after Brown was let go, there are rumors about two prospective candidates — and one could potentially be working his way in.
Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach Tyronn Lue against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena.Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports
Tyronn Lue
A source confirmed multiple reports to KYW Newsradio that Los Angeles Clippers Lead Assistant Coach Tyronn Lue was slated to interview for the job Tuesday. Lue has won three NBA Championship — two as a player with the Lakers, and one as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 after he relieved the fired David Blatt in-season.
After the 2016 championship, Lue coached LeBron James and the Cavs to two more Eastern Conference Championships, losing in the finals to the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018. Once James left for the Los Angeles Lakers, Lue coached only six games in the 2018-19 season.
His regular season record is 128-83 and 41-20 in the playoffs.
Lue was an NBA player for 11 seasons.
Houston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni looks on in the second half of game five of the second round against the Los Angeles Lakers of the 2020 NBA Playoffs at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports
Mike D'Antoni
Former Houston Rockets Head Coach Mike D'Antoni is a top candidate.
D'Antoni has head coaching stops with Houston, the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets. He's a two-time NBA Coach of the Year and was the Sixers' associate head coach under Brown during the 2015-16 season, before going to Houston.
D'Antoni's regular season record is 672-527, with his postseason mark being 54-56. He has never coached in the NBA Finals.
His offensive style has been perimeter-three point based, which is why many believe it wouldn't fit the Sixers roster as currently constructed.
D'Antoni played in the NBA and ABA for four seasons back in the '70s.
Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers gestures from the sidelines during the first half in game seven of the second round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs against the Denver Nuggets at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports
Doc Rivers
The name who could potentially be working his way in is Doc Rivers, who just mutually agreed to part ways with the Clippers earlier this week. The Clippers were the two-seed in the Western Conference, but coughed up a 3-1 series lead to the Nuggets in the second round. It's not the first time a team coached by Rivers has done that. It also happened in 2003 with the Orlando Magic and in 2015 with the Clippers.
His head coaching stops also include Boston, where he coached the Celtics to the title in 2008 and lost the NBA Finals to Kobe Bryant's Lakers in seven games in 2010.
Kendrick Perkins was an important member of those Celtics teams coached by Rivers. He said on Radio.com's Scal and Pals Podcast, "I heard that he's having a lot of conversation with the Philadelphia 76ers. Right now, that's where he's getting the most interest. And I think he would be a great fit for them.
"I honestly, Doc with Joel Embiid ... that's what he need. He needs a person like Doc ... Doc Rivers gets the best out of you. He's able to manage egos and stuff like that."
In Los Angeles, Rivers had to also coach his team through Donald Sterling's racist comments that got Sterling banned for life from the NBA in 2014.
Rivers regular coaching record is 943-681, while it's 91-89 in the playoffs. He won Coach of the Year in 2000.
Rivers was a NBA player for 13 seasons, and made the All-Star team in 1988.
This is a developing story. Stay with KYW Newsradio for the latest.
