Austin Rivers isn’t trying to annoy anyone as long as he gets the basketball. No matter where any pass comes, he keeps his mouth shut. At least, he tries.



It’s a mentality Clippers assistant coach Sam Cassell hammered into his mind during the four years Rivers played for him: don’t be too picky.



“You want the ball,” Rivers said. “If someone throws me the ball, I’m like, ‘Thank you for thinking of me.’ And I shoot it.”



Rivers keeps other thoughts to himself, even if — ever so secretly — he does prefer passes to arrive in the most comfortable spot. For him, that’s a little above his waist and to the middle of his torso.



“If someone catches the ball and you gotta go here and shoot,” Rivers said as he bent to point to his ankles, “That can really fuck up someone’s shot.”



In that sense, Rivers has lived the cushy basketball life. The point...