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Austin Rivers: 'I haven't had it easy'

Gary A. Vasquez / USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Clippers guard Austin Rivers finally bought a Ferrari.

After a lifetime spent dreaming of the Italian car, he signed a three-year, $35-million deal and splurged. But he didn't stay in L.A. for the money or the lifestyle, and certainly not because playing for his father's team makes things easier.

"It's the complete opposite. People who think that are (expletive) idiots. It actually gets me angry," Rivers told Dan Woike of the Orange County Register of playing for Doc Rivers. "You can say it. People are idiots. You can write that one down.

"I haven't played for him my whole life, so it's not like I had it easy. The whole rest of my career - when I was still successful - the No. 1 player in high school, one of the top five, top 10 players in college at Duke. I wasn't with my father. I haven't had it easy."

As he prepares for an expanded role, with an expanded paycheck, he's primarily looking for a chance to win, writes Woike. Even Doc thought the team might lose the 24-year-old.

"I took less to come back here ..." Rivers said. "I'm not taking this for granted. I was on a team where it was very bad. There are only four or five teams in the league with a realistic chance to win this year, and I think we're one of them. I'm not taking this for granted. I know if I go somewhere else, I might not ever be on a team like this again. A lot of people go their whole career and never play on a team like this."

Rivers averaged 8.9 points, 1.5 assists, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.7 steals per game in 21.9 minutes last season, and closed his season extremely strong. In the Clippers' final playoff game against Portland, he scored 21 points, adding six rebounds and eight assists.

He'll likely highlight the team's second unit as the 2016-17 season opens, but to him that's only the beginning.

"I think it's just a matter of time until I come into my own," Rivers said.

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