Clippers acquire Doc Rivers’ son, Austin, in three-team trade

The Clippers acquired Austin Rivers, the son of the team’s coach, Doc Rivers, in a three-team trade that involves the Boston Celtics and the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.

The Clippers sent forward Reggie Bullock to the Suns. The Celtics received Suns forward Shavlik Randolph, Clippers forward Chris Douglas-Roberts and the Clippers’ 2017 second-round draft pick in the deal. Clippers reserve guard Jordan Farmar will probably be waived or traded on Friday.

Austin Rivers will become the first NBA player to play for his father when he makes his first on-court appearance. Coby Karl was a member of the Nuggets for a short while under his father, George Karl, in 2010 but he did not play in a game during that time.

Rivers, 22, has averaged 6.8 points, 2.5 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 22 minutes a game for the Pelicans this season. He was traded earlier this week by the Pelicans to the Celtics.

The Clippers went after Rivers in hopes of improving their bench play, which has underwhelmed in both pace and productivity ever since point guard Darren Collison went to the Sacramento Kings over the summer.

Rivers was the 10th overall pick in 2012 by the Pelicans after spending one year at Duke. The Clippers needed to get rid of about $1.8 million in salary to make the trade happen.

The elder Rivers said he believes he’s ready now for the challenge of coaching his son.

“He’s a downhill guard, which is something we need,” the coach said.

Doc Rivers added that he doesn’t anticipate that his son will have any issues with playing under him.

“I think players play, they just go out and play,” he said.

The Clippers (26-13) are in sixth place in the Western Conference, 6½ games behind the first place Golden State Warriors (31-5) and only a half-game behind the Dallas Mavericks (27-13) for fifth place.