Getting traded to a new team can be an emotional experience for any NBA player.
It's even worse if it's your own dad trading you away.
The Los Angeles Clippers' father-son, coach-player duo was broken up on Tuesday when the Doc Rivers-helmed team traded Austin Rivers to the Washington Wizards for Marcin Gortat. Both players are in the final years of their contracts and will become free agents next summer.
In an interview with Positive Coaching Alliance, the father-son duo spoke about their relationship on the court. "One thing I think we've done very well is we've communicated," Doc explained. "Austin has done a great job of communicating to me when he feels anything. It could be not father-son, just coach-player. I try to do that with all my players. If you communicate, you have a better chance than if you don't communicate." Austin added, "We haven't had any incidents. We both have a mutual respect for each other."
Rivers first arrived with the Clippers in January 2015 when his father traded a second-round pick to Boston to acquire his son. Unfortunately for Austin, his dad is no longer in charge of basketball operations with the Clippers. So, Doc wasn't the person pulling the trigger in Tuesday's trade. Still, that didn't stop thousands of people on Twitter from chiming in and capitalizing on the golden opportunity for jokes. See some of the best below.
