Los Angeles Clippers (2013–2020)
On June 25, 2013, the Los Angeles Clippers acquired Rivers from the Celtics for an unprotected 2015 NBA first-round draft pick. He also became the senior vice president of basketball operations on the team. In his first season as their head coach, Rivers led the Clippers to a franchise-record 57 wins, garnering the 3rd seed in the Western conference. The 2014 NBA playoffs first round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors was marred when TMZ released an audiotape containing racially insensitive remarks made by the then-Clippers owner Donald Sterling. Though there was a possibility of the Clippers boycotting the series, they instead played on, instead holding a silent protest by leaving their shooting jerseys at center court and obscuring the Clippers logo on their warm-up shirts. Rivers himself stated that he would not return to the Clippers if Sterling remained as owner the following season. NBA commissioner Adam Silver responded to the controversy by banning Sterling from the NBA for life and compelling him to sell the team. The team was sold to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for $2 billion on August 12, 2014, and Rivers remained with the Clippers.
On June 16, 2014, the Clippers promoted Rivers to president of basketball operations in conjunction with his continuing head coaching duties. Although Dave Wohl was hired as general manager, Rivers had the final say in basketball matters. On August 27, 2014, he signed a new five-year contract with the Clippers.
On January 16, 2015, Rivers became the first NBA coach to coach his own son, Austin Rivers, until June 26, 2018, when Austin Rivers was traded to the Washington Wizards for Marcin Gortat.
On August 4, 2017, Rivers gave up his post as president of basketball operations. However, he continued to split responsibility for basketball matters with executive vice president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank. On May 23, 2018, Rivers and the Clippers agreed to a contract extension.
On May 31, 2019, Rivers made comments on Kawhi Leonard during an appearance on ESPN, stating that "He is the most like [Michael] Jordan that we've seen", while Leonard was still under contract to the Toronto Raptors. The Clippers were fined $50,000 due to Rivers' comments in violation of the league's anti-tampering rule. The Clippers signed Leonard to a three-year contract on July 10, 2019.
In the 2019–20 season, Rivers earned his 900th win as a head coach after the Clippers won at home against the Portland Trail Blazers on November 8, 2019. In the Western Conference semifinals, the Clippers jumped to a 3 games to 1 lead before losing the last three of the best-of-seven series to the Denver Nuggets. Rivers became the first coach in NBA history to have three teams fail to advance from a best-of-seven series after taking a 3 games to 1 lead. He had previously been the only coach in NBA history whose teams had twice failed to advance from a best of seven series after taking a 3–1 lead.
On September 28, 2020, Rivers stepped down following the Clippers' defeat to the Nuggets in the conference semifinals. His record through seven seasons with the team was 356–208, but he was ultimately unable to lead the Clippers to their first conference finals appearance in franchise history.
