Celtics, Rivers to part ways
Monday, June 24, 2013
Is it on again? Is it off again? Now it's back on again? Whatever the story, one thing is certain - Doc Rivers wanted no part of a rebuilding process in Boston.
The long-rumored deal to send Rivers to the Los Angeles Clippers as their new coach - subject to much scrutiny, debate and decision-making by Rivers - has apparently been made, according to multiple sources Sunday night. The Boston Celtics have a news conference planned for Monday to discuss the move.
The Clippers and Celtics have reached an agreement to release Rivers from his contract with the Celtics, with the Clippers picking up the three years and $21 million remaining on his current Boston deal. He would be allowed to sign with Los Angeles in exchange for a 2015 first-round draft pick, as Celtics' President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge begins his rebuilding project.
However, a report from CBSSports.com says while the NBA will allow the deal to send a draft pick to Boston in exchange for releasing Rivers, it will not allow any subsequent trade that involves Kevin Garnett. The NBA would view any such trade as disallowable under the current collective bargaining agreement, which does not allow for players to be exchanged in any deal involving coaches.
If true, it would appear the Boston rebuilding project is stuck in first gear, rather than shifting into overdrive. The deal comes after more than a week of negotiations between the two teams with multiple instances of one team or the other walking away from a potential deal. In the end, Rivers didn't simply want to stay, and Ainge apparently wasn't going to hold him to it.
ESPNBoston.com's Jackie McMullan has reported that Rivers and Ainge worked together to reach a deal with the Clippers that benefits both the Celtics and Doc’s desire to avoid a lengthy rebuilding process. Boston's ownership also reportedly was not wild about paying Rivers $7 million annually to coach a rebuilding team.
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