Doc Rivers is the Los Angeles Clippers’ president of basketball operations. But there are two sides to all professional sports franchises, and the coach’s jurisdiction only pertains to on-court matters. Gillian Zucker has resided over the remaining purview after owner Steve Ballmer appointed her Los Angeles’ president of business operations last October.
There should be no overlap between those distinctions. Though Rivers and Zucker hold similar titles, power, and responsibilities, their respective roles within the organization are cut-and-dried, which is what makes last week’s report that the latter has meddled in the Clippers’ hoops purview so damning.
Doing his best to downplay a supposed rift with Zucker gleaned from that unverified intel, Los Angeles’ coach said the pair have a good working relationship and even discussed the rumors shortly after they initially surfaced. Here’s Rivers on the matter, courtesy of the Los Angeles Times‘ Broderick Turner:
“There’s nothing there,” Rivers said. “Gillian has been great. She’s new and she’s new to the NBA and of course there’s going to be criticism with that. But she’s got our backing and she’ll be fine.”
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Rivers said he and Zucker talked after the report came out Monday.
