Philly Sports: What each team can be thankful for

76ers: Doc Rivers

New Sixers GM Daryl Morey is rightfully getting all of the headlines after working some of his magic recently, but let’s not forget the big move that the team made in October to bring in Doc Rivers to replace the departed Brett Brown.

(This just in…Morey is actually the 76ers’ president of basketball operations. Elton Brand is still the GM. Um. Awkward?)

But getting back to Rivers, his hiring immediately lends credibility to an organization that’s been searching for it since before Bryan Colangelo’s wife logged in to Twitter. Regardless of your feelings about Brett Brown, and they’re probably not great, the guy was originally picked to coach a team that was purposely trying to lose. How could he have ever been expected to lead them into true contention?

With that mess behind them, the Sixers can lean into Rivers’ decades of experience and give the Joel Embiid/Ben Simmons experiment one final, best shot to produce something special. Because if Doc Rivers can’t get this group to gel, then no one can. We’re all truly thankful he’s here.

Also in the mix: Morey, and the fact that Al Horford’s contract is now somebody else’s problem.