Doc Rivers Will Return as 76ers' Head Coach Despite Playoff Loss, Daryl Morey Says

After the Philadelphia 76ers lost to the Miami Heat on Thursday, Doc Rivers sounded like he wasn't concerned about his job status.

When asked if he could guarantee that Rivers would return as the team's head coach next season, the president of basketball operations gave a definitive "yes" to the reporters.

Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBA

Daryl Morey was asked whether he can guarantee that Doc Rivers will be back next season: "Yes."

Rivers was asked if he was concerned about his job status.

He said that he doesn't worry about his job and that he worked his butt off to get this team here. Write it and I will feel secure about it.

It has been expected that Rivers would return for the 2022-23 season, despite the fact that the Philadelphia playoffs may have caused a change of plans.

The 76ers have maintained that Rivers and team leadership remain aligned about their future together.

Rivers makes $8 million per season on a deal that runs through the 25th season. If the 76ers wanted to move on from the 60-year-old, they would have to pay another head coach the same amount of money.

If the 76ers lost in the playoffs, Morey could try to get Mike D'Antoni to be their coach. Morey, D Antoni and James Harden were key pieces in the Houston Rockets success from 2016 to 2020.

Philadelphia hired Rivers as head coach. The Boston Celtics swept the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs.

The 76ers were the top seed in the Eastern Conference last year. They lost in the second round of the playoffs to the Hawks.

Philadelphia finished fourth in the East with a 51-31 record. It defeated the Raptors in the first round before falling to the Heat in the semifinals.