As the NBA regular season winds down, rumors have been swirling that the Los Angeles Lakers will fire head coach Luke Walton, with Clippers head coach Doc Rivers at the top of the list for a replacement. Rivers is one of the best coaches in the NBA and would be a nice fit for a Lakers squad that is trying to manage its talented young roster as well as veteran superstar LeBron James. Unfortunately for the Lakers, Rivers doesn't plan on leaving the Clippers anytime soon.
"Well, I have a job and the Lakers have a coach, No. 1, and I am going nowhere," Rivers said according to ESPN. "I can tell you that. Straight and up front, I'm going to be here until [Clippers owner] Steve [Ballmer] says get out. I plan on being here a long time."
Rivers explained that he already has a contract extension in place with the Clippers and that his ultimate goal is to win an NBA title with the team. As of right now, he doesn't want to be anywhere else.
"Just so we won't talk about this for a while, let me end this right now: [Lakers president] Magic Johnson and I are very close friends, as you know, and that's what we are," Rivers said. "[But] early in this year, we [Ballmer and I] both decided let's end this thing. Take this [option] out and extend and make it a longer deal. We've long decided on that. We just have chosen not to say anything about it. I'm here. My job is not done here."
The Clippers are currently 42-30 and are ranked 8th in the Western Conference.
