How a fired Doc Rivers still sold Patrick Beverley on signing with Sixers

On his podcast, Beverley said he often turns to the former Sixers coach for advice. The guard said that Rivers enthusiastically gave him the green light to sign here.

Patrick Beverley split his time between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bulls last season.Read moreShanna Madison / MCT

by Matt Mullin

Published Jul. 5, 2023, 5:38 p.m. ET

One of the 76ers’ newest players, guard Patrick Beverley, might never have agreed to play in Philly if not for the endorsement of the coach the team sent packing earlier this offseason — Doc Rivers.

Beverley, who spent several seasons with Rivers during their time together with the Los Angeles Clippers, signed a one-year, veteran-minimum deal to join the Sixers over the weekend, but before he did he made sure to get the blessing of his former coach, a person he calls a “mentor” and “father figure.” Beverley not only revealed his decision-making process on his podcast, The Pat Bev Podcast with Rone, but the soon-to-be 35-year-old veteran also shared Rivers’ message on why he should sign in Philly.

“You know me, before I make any life decision I hit Doc [Rivers],” Beverley said. “Doc is a mentor; Doc is damn near a father figure. Doc is everything. I need something, I need answers, I need help, I hit Doc.

“Hit Doc [and said], ‘I might go to Philly’ — obviously, he was there. ‘How you like the situation?’ Now, man, this is a Hall of Fame coach who just got fired. His response, exact words, ‘I love Philadelphia for you. They need you. You will be great with Joel [Embiid]. James [Harden], he respects you; you will be great with him. If I had you last season, we would have been a different team.’ Shout-out to Doc Rivers, too, baby. That’s my man. So shout-out, Doc. Exact words.”

Apparently, that’s all the convincing it took to get Beverley to agree to a deal with the Sixers — even if there’s no guarantee that Harden will be back in Philly next year as Daryl Morey and Co. work toward a potential trade.

“Once Doc gave me the green [light], I called my agent back and said, ‘Man, give me until the end of the day, I’m going to talk to some more teams, you feel me? I’m going to talk to Boston again; I’m going to talk to Washington again,’” Beverley continued. “But when Doc gave me the green, I’m like [bleep] it. I trust Doc. He’s there, he don’t have anything, no grudges. He could’ve been a bitter coach and said not to go there — no, ‘Philly will be great for you.’ Done. Doc said it, let’s go be done.”

Beverley spent last season split between the Lakers and Bulls and averaged 6.2 points (the lowest since his rookie season) and 27.1 minutes per game. So while the Sixers might not have been “a different team” with him on the roster last season, he is a career 37.3% three point shooter — and with a center like Embiid, you can never have too much of that.