When the Clippers acquired Austin Rivers in 2014, everyone understood Doc Rivers was giving his son a chance few other teams would have after a disastrous start to his career. Austin struggled so much in New Orleans that the Hornets declined the fourth-year option on his rookie deal—a rare decision for a 22-year-old who was taken with the tenth overall pick.
It looked like nepotism at its finest, but over the past four seasons in Los Angeles, he’s developed into a solid player for the Clippers, even as the team has transitioned away from the Chris Paul-Blake Griffin era.