Austin Rivers joined Bill Simmons on his Wednesday podcast to discuss being a veteran in the NBA. Rivers has a podcast on The Ringer’s network and is the son of longtime NBA coach Doc Rivers. Simmons is a die-hard Boston Celtics fan and had a feud with Doc in 2013, but they settled it over ten years ago.
Simmons and Rivers have good chemistry on the podcast, and Rivers is forthcoming about his time in the league and what it’s like to be a valuable veteran. An interesting tidbit for Minnesota Timberwolves fans? Rivers thought he was returning to Minneapolis after playing in 52 games (10 starts) last year.
It was so weird, man. I remember last year, multiple times, I’m calling my agent being like, ‘Bro, I found a really good spot here, man.’ I get along with all the guys.’ Anthony Edwards is like literally my brother, man. I talk to him all the time. Whether I played there or not, I really liked that kid. He’s a talented player.
I got along with all the young guys. I got along with Finchy, and then everybody knows Tim Connelly, that’s my guy. He’s brought me to three different destinations. Maybe even four. So I just felt like that was a home. I was counting on going back there this summer, signing back there.
I didn’t think that was gonna even be an issue or a thing, where they looked in a different direction, just because I outplayed what I even got paid anyways. If we’re gonna be [honest], I got a non-guaranteed contract, and I’m finishing games for them and guarding the best player just about every night. And then, when I’m not playing, I’m vocal and loud on the bench the entire game, being a positive influence whether or not I was playing.
They would come to me before the game and say, ‘Hey, we’re not gonna play you.’ I wouldn’t say a word. I’d go, ‘All right, I got you.’ I’ll be involved in every timeout, standing up. And then the next game, he would come to me and be like, ‘Hey, you’re gonna start. You gotta guard Ja [Morant].’ That’s a hell of a, like, that’s not normal for a lot of players, you know what I mean?
So I thought I handled that pretty well, and it just seems like, yeah, I had the weirdest f—ing luck in the NBA. The ironic thing about it is people always talk about me and my entitlement. Or, like, me and my privilege, just because I played for my father for three years. But the reality is, man, I was an elite – and I am still – but I was an elite scorer that got drafted to a team where I wasn’t supposed to even put in a position to do that.
Rivers goes on to talk about Timberwolves luminaries like Kevin Martin and Tom Gugliotta. He also becomes the latest person in the NBA to compare Anthony Edwards to Dwyane Wade. It is a little perplexing that the Wolves wouldn’t bring him back, given he had a valuable veteran presence and played well last year. Regardless, the entire interview is worth listening to.
