When Steve Ballmer agreed to the purchase the Los Angeles Clippers, the first order of business was to give head coach and president of basketball operations Doc Rivers a contract extension.
According to the Los Angeles Clippers official page, the organization has announced that Doc Rivers has agreed to a contract extension that will keep him with the team until 2019. The complete terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“This is an important day for this organization,” said new Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. “I am excited to work with Doc for a long time as we build a championship culture that will deliver results both on and off the court. Not only is Doc one of the best coaches and executives in the game, but he continually embodies the hard core, committed and resilient character and winning culture that the Clippers represent. It was one of my top priorities to ensure that he was firmly in place as the long-term leader of this team,” Ballmer continued.
Doc Rivers coached the Clippers to a franchise best 57 and 25 record as Los Angeles earned their second straight division title. Rivers had two-years, $14 million remaining on his contract.
“Steve has shown a clear and determined desire to make the Clippers one of the most elite, first-class and championship organizations in all of professional sports,” Rivers stated. “We know we have work to do to get there, but I am motivated by the challenge and thankful for the opportunity to stand together with Steve as we continue to move toward our goal of winning an NBA title.”
Rivers is currently the highest paid coach in the NBA. The Clippers added Doc Rivers last year by sending a first-round pick to the Boston Celtics. They signed him to a three-year, $21 million deal, and Steve Ballmer wants to make sure that Rivers does not go anywhere by giving him this extension.
Doc Rivers has been the reason behind the improvements of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. He helped Jordan develop into a monster rebounder and amazing interior defender. He has also bettered Blake Griffin’s offensive arsenal.
Doc Rivers is a one-time champion and believes that, with the Clippers, he can accomplish more championships in the near future, especially with Steve Ballmer running the team.