PHILADELPHIA – 76ers coach Doc Rivers talks to his former Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau, but talking about his son Austin Rivers is off-limits.
Rivers, who signed with the Knicks as a free agent in November, was banned from the rotation after Derrick Rose switched on Super Bowl Sunday. Rivers did not deal with the situation in a glorious way, as he was missing from the bench in a recent home game.
He has not been with the Knicks since the end of the All-Star break for “personal reasons”. Thibodeau said Rivers is expecting a baby with his fiancee and asked for paternity leave. The negotiation deadline is March 25. Rivers, in his last chat with the media, said he felt it could be negotiated at any time.
“This is basketball – I’m out of it,” said the Sixers coach before taking on the Knicks on Tuesday. “Tom and I talked, but not about Austin. I don’t care about coaches and I suggest who they should play for. I just don’t want to. Whether it is your child or not. I stay away from that. ”
In December, Rivers, who played with the Knicks from 1992 to 1994, told the Post that he recommended his former franchise to his son. Asked about his son’s situation now, Rivers hesitated again, awkwardly.
“I don’t comment on that,” said Rivers. “In that case, Austin is a player on their team. It is not a place to comment. It would be like making comments about players from other teams [regarding playing time]. It would be a bad shape. ”
However, Rivers was happy to share his thoughts on Julius Randle’s turnaround – with his son as the source.
“I’m really happy for him,” said Rivers. “I get information by talking to Austin. Austin simply praises what kind of human being he is, how great a passer he is and excels everyone at the gym, how all his teammates love him. Julius Randle did not have this narrative before. When a veteran player like Austin, who has been in the league for eight years, says this about a younger guy, it says something about Julius and what kind of guy he is. ”