The Clippers are no longer owned by Donald Sterling, and that means Doc Rivers no longer has to contemplate walking away from the franchise as head coach.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski, Rivers and new Clippers owner Steve Ballmer are set to discuss an extension of his contract.
Ballmer and Rivers had been eager to forge a long-term partnership, and a California court confirming the authority of Shelly Sterling to sell the franchise on behalf of the Sterling Family Trust has cleared the way to work toward a new deal.
Rivers, 52, the president of basketball operations and head coach, has two years left on his original three-year, $21 million contract. Rivers is already one of the highest-paid executives and coaches in professional sports, and his prominence and pay could grow with the promise of Ballmer’s stewardship of the Clippers.
Rivers was recently named president of basketball operations, and was the face of a composed Clippers franchise throughout the Sterling fiasco.
The head coach and owner already seem to be on the same page.
“This is an amazing new day in Clippers history,” Rivers said in a statement about the sale. “I couldn’t be more excited to work together with Steve as we continue to build a first-class, championship organization. I am already inspired by Steve’s passion for the game, his love of competition and desire to win the right way and I know our players and fans are going to be inspired as well.”
