Celtics in trade talks to send Doc Rivers, Kevin Garnett to Clippers

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Kevin Garnett and Doc Rivers could soon be on their way to join the Clippers. 

The Boston Celtics are deep in discussions with the Los Angeles Clippers on a blockbuster deal to send coach Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett to Los Angeles, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
The final hurdle of a deal centers on the Clippers' willingness to include guard Eric Bledsoe into a trade package with Boston, sources said.

The Celtics would like to land Clippers point guard Eric Bledsoe. (USA Today Sports)

Boston and Los Angeles are discussing a package that will send DeAndre Jordan and two first-round picks to the Celtics for Garnett and the right to hire Rivers as coach, sources said.

Garnett will waive his no-trade clause to go to the Clippers, where he'll be reunited with Rivers. Celtics assistant Ty Lue also will likely join them in Los Angeles, sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Clippers owner Donald Sterling is prepared to pay Rivers in the neighborhood of the $7 million annual salary he currently holds with the Celtics, front office sources said. Rivers has three years and $21 million left on his Boston deal.

If a deal is agreed upon, Rivers will likely speak to Chris Paul immediately on his willingness to re-signing with Los Angeles, sources said.

Rivers can't be part of a player transaction, but the inclusion of the draft picks – and perhaps Bledsoe – would allow Boston to free him of his contractual obligations.

The Celtics and Rivers want a finality to these talks, and there's pressure to complete a deal in the next two days or walk away completely, sources said.

LOOKS LIKE SMITH WAS NOT CRAZY AFTER ALL!

112288

Ainge is greedy...

Not at all.........Danny is in the power position. Where is Doc going...he's locked up for 3 years and cannot go to another team....and he will never earn $7M per in TV.

For the Clippers.......No Doc + No KG = No Chis Paul and a team that will not make it to the Western Finals.

112288

Danny has power but nothing is guaranteed for any side. I admit that the Clippers are pressed to make a deal, but again so is Boston. 

I don't think Bledsoe should be part of the trade.

I don't think Boston has much of any leverage at this point.
Doc can just come back and coach the Celtics again.
He won't want the Clippers to give up too much then coach there.
KG can not agree to waive his no trade clause.
Boston needs to make a decision about Pierce by 6/30.
 
The Clippers are in a good position with young talent to build around Chris Paul.
They have a very desirable trade chip in Bledsoe.

Danny wants Bledsoe because he has value around the league AND because if he has Bledsoe then he doesn't have to even think about drafting a backup point guard.

Also, I disagree with 112288 when he says "No Doc + KG = no Paul".  If the other rumor bouncing around happens, the "Blake Griffin + Eric Bledsoe  for D12" one, then the Clips will definitely keep Paul.  Personally, I'd rather have Griffin than Howard, but I'm not Donald Sterling (Thank God).  To do this trade, however, the Clips must still have Bledsoe to trade to the Lakers.

TJ is correct in saying the Clips have a very desirable trade chip in Bledsoe.  He is a starting point guard playing backup.  Just look how many rumors he's in the middle of, and it is NOT because the Clips are shopping him.  He is coveted by GMs around the league.


bob


.

BobH,

I think he meant Paul PIerce.


Sam

Bob,

With getting Paul...the operative word is "IF" they get Howard, and ithas to be done ASAP by June 30th!

112288

TJ,

So Doc comes back with egg on his face and coaches......or he goes to broadcasting....in which case he will pine for coaching again and the Celtic with their non compete contract for 3 years will make a deal with another team.

112288

112288 wrote:TJ,

So Doc comes back with egg on his face and coaches......or he goes to broadcasting....in which case he will pine for coaching again and the Celtic with their non compete contract for 3 years will make a deal with another team.

112288

Yes, Doc will probably come back and coach next season and collect his $7m. If that's his plan, what does Boston do then?
Teams like the Clippers know that Doc's bridge behind him has been significantly burned, so why offer a kings ransom for a coach who might not be welcome to come back?

TJ, precisely what constitutes Doc's bridges being "significantly burned?"  It's much more likely than not that Doc, Danny, KG, Wyc, and (probably) Pierce  are all in collusion about making everybody happy while using the assets of Doc, KG and Pierce to the best future advantage of the Celtics.  If you believe for a minute that Doc is unilaterally circumventing the Celtics while negotiating covertly with the Clips, think again.  It makes absolutely no sense because, if it became adversarial, the Celtics could prevent him from coaching for any other team this coming season.

You may be 99% sure that, if none of these deals happens, it won't be a case of Doc's forever bearing the stigma of sneakily plotting to leave the Celtics.  It will simply be a joint effort by the Celtics' coach, players and executives that didn't work out.  The various parties know that the team would be better off changing the model rather than sticking wit the status quo.  They know that, by banding together, everyone can win.  They've all enjoyed a very special form of closeness that perhaps is understandable best to students of the Celtics.  And that closeness logically will govern the way in which they collectively proceed.

Sam

Cow,

I want it to be known that my post to TJ had nothing to do with his intellect, which I greatly respect.  It simply involved a difference of opinion on the inner workings of the Celtics.  Terms like "not bright" and "pure stupidity" amount to name-calling, which is a no-no on this board; so I've removed the posts containing those references.

Best regards,

Sam

Sam,
 
I do not think that Doc has had any contact with the Clippers.
Doc hasn't said he wants to come back and coach the Celtics again next season.
They have been waiting for his answer about what he is going to do for weeks.
I don't think Doc and management are as united as you do.
 
The article that I have linked asks basically the same question that I did. Can Boston really take Doc back next season? How committed is he to the team?
 
http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/9393805/doc-rivers-burned-bridges-boston-celtics

Hi,
I believe the deal is not dead, yet. It looks like both sides still are trying to find a compromise. Also, I believe that DA is savvy enough to have plan B.
So, let see what happens.

AK

"I believe that DA is savvy enough to have plan B.
So, let see what happens."

-AK

AK,

I'm sure you're right about that.

As for speculation in other posts (including my own) about Doc's bridges being burned with the Celtics, I think they are.

Putting myself into a players shoes for a moment, if I'm making an extended committment to a team, I sure wouldn't want to play for a coach I suspected was a short-term leader.  Sitting in the GM's chair for a bit; if I'm rebuilding as the Celtics are, I want to do it with a coach who will be there through the process.

My personal feeling is that it's much healthier for the team to move on to a new head coach.  Doc's been great, but recent events leave too many open questions; we need a new coach.

Regards

Rivers needs to leave now whether the deal goes through or not.

He needs to fire himself.

First of all, Doc "firing himself" makes no sense to me.  He has $21M left on his contract, more than any of his peers.  Would you walk away from the best paying gig in your industry?

Secondly, if your plan is to work in the industry again, just "putting down your tools and walking off the job site" is not the best way of doing that.

If a player wanted out, like the way Pierce told Celtics management back in the summer of 2007 that they either had to build a contender around him or trade him while he still had value, wouldn't we tell that player to "shut up, do your job and let Danny see what he can do to accommodate you and help the club".  And oh, has Pierce's value diminished over the last 6 years because of that "ultimatum"?  Has that made Pierce any less of a True Celtic?  Doc has not told the press he wants to leave.  In fact, he has flat out refused to comment directly on his future and that, his ambiguity, is what has blown this up in the press and not anything he has actually said.  He has attended league Competition Committee meetings, as if he was staying in the league and not going into broadcasting and he has attended rookie draft workouts.  In other words, he has "shut up, is doing his job and is letting Danny see what can be done to accommodate him and help the club".  What does the club gain if Doc just walks?

One last point I'd like to address, and that's the one about how Doc's ability to coach has been compromised, tainted, undermined or in any other way diminished as a result of all this.  In a word, Baloney.  KG will not only run through brick wall for Doc if he's he's still here, he'd run through a brick wall to get to Doc if he's in LA and may God have mercy on the soul of any player he sees slacking/backing off in practice or a game because they are unfocused or unwilling to commit to the team AND Doc.  Pierce will give 110% of whatever he has left, assuming he's still on the team, because this is his last year and he badly wants to go out in green.  Rondo loves Doc and wants to prove he's back from his surgery, so he's going to be going as hard as he can.  Same with Sully.  Who else's "delicate psyche" do we have to worry about?  JET?  He has something to prove himself and may feel like he let Doc down, and Doc is the guy who convinced him to come to Boston.  Same with Lee.  Jeff Green's problem is that he's too nice a guy, not that he's too edgy or disruptive.  I'd say the same about Bradley and Bass.  Shav, T-Will and Crawford will do exactly what Doc tells them to do to the absolute maximum of their ability for obvious reasons, they are bubble players, and have far, far more to lose than gain by giving anything less than their all.  So, where's the source of this anticipated disruption coming from?  Oh, maybe a few fans...

In my opinion, we need to relax a bit, not micro-manage this process and it is a process. Danny is negotiating.  I negotiated for a living for many years.  You don't just push all your chips into the middle of the table with the first hand.  No news over the weekend?  Hmm, maybe that's because it was the weekend.  Maybe they're doing a "stare down" to see who blinks first.  Maybe they wanted to have a day or two to talk to the various and numerous people who are involved directly (Doc, KG, both ownerships) and indirectly (Chris Paul, Paul Pierce).  Maybe they both want this deal, think they can pull it off, but wanted a few days to consider how to change the mix so it works for both.  Maybe, Danny's on the phone with other GMs, seeing if he can get a 3rd team involved to take some salary or whatever.  In short, we need some of what we want our players to do and what Doc is doing:  give Danny a chance.

Shutting up, however, would make for a very boring board, so let's not do that.


bob


.

Bob,

I'm going with the idea "you can't put the genie back in the bottle" from the update article in my post below.

Today's players are part diva, part athlete, but I think they do expect they won't always play for one coach.  I think that asking a player to fulfill contract terms, especially with a team in a state of change, makes the presence of a short-term coach less desireable to the player.  I also think if the player truly is competitive, and buying into the teams long term plan to win, he has to expect the same of his coach.  If I'm Rondo, for instance, I would question why Doc was still around.  Accomplished pro's should give 100% no matter what, but it has to have a pshycological effect that weighs on them nonetheless.  I expect Doc's continued presence would also potentially be a negative for any free agent we try to sign.

Regards

Celtics, Clippers resume push to get Kevin Garnett-Doc Rivers deal done
27 minutes ago

The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers are discussing possible compromises to including guard Eric Bledsoe into the Kevin Garnett-Doc Rivers deal with hopes of completing an agreement on Monday, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett could soon be headed to Los Angeles. (Getty Images)

Discussions over a blockbuster deal reached an impasse on Saturday when Boston general manager Danny Ainge held firm that Bledsoe had to be a part of package that included DeAndre Jordan and a first-round pick, but sources say that Boston has shown a willingness to find another asset to supplant Bledsoe and complete the complicated deal, sources said.

The Clippers are prepared to give Rivers a five-year deal to coach and believe acquiring Rivers and Garnett – who will waive his no-trade clause – will lock up the re-signing of free-agent superstar Chris Paul, sources said.

The prospects of bringing Rivers back to the Celtics have become less appealing for Boston, who understand, as one league executive said, "There's no putting the genie back in the bottle. You can't pretend this didn't happen and just go back to work."

Rivers has three years and $21 million left on his Celtics contract, but doesn't want to stay in Boston unless the Celtics are willing to bring back Garnett and Paul Pierce to avoid rebuilding for another year, sources said. Boston will not let Rivers coach or work anywhere in the NBA for the duration of his contract without compensation, sources said.

Hi,
I wonder what other deal that involves Bledsoe DA is cooking?
I doubt that player of his caliber will be used as RR backup.

AK

AK,

According to the update I posted it looks like Ainge is talking to the Clips about an alternative to Bledsoe.

I think the whole negotiation is interesting and a sign that Danny is really getting creative in an attempt to build the team up quickly, just as he did in '07.

If you can believe anything you read, they're trying to get this done today, so we should see soon.  I saw at least one unsubstatiated account that they were now putting Pierce into the deal; not so sure about the validity of that one.

Regards

I think what's showing Ainge's smarts here is what, or rather who, his bargaining chip is.  He sees a situation where his coach has high appeal to another organization and the interest is mutual.  What's more it looks like the coach isn't wild about sticking around anyway.  KG and to a lesser extent Pierce have no real value to others, at least not at the price tag they come with, and their current contracts are weighing us down badly.  The Clippers, however, prize Rivers because he can secure Chris Paul.

Jordan isn't the top center in the league, but he is far better than anyone else available and a young post player you can build with.  His skills compliment our current point guard as well.  He has far more long-term value to a team like ours than KG at this point, and possibly excepting KG's intensity, greater immediate value as well.  To get a draft pick or even two, and a second player of some sort thrown in for us on top of what is already a one-sided transaction takes genius, guts, the b*lls of a burgler or all three.

We're getting rid of a big contract and a diminishing player, along with a coach who doesn't want to be here and taking back a decent big we desperately need and a draft pick plus more?

If Danny actually pulls this one off he's putting himself up there in negotiating hall of fame territory.

Get it done

As someone who likes Doc as a coach and felt his bond to the Celtic franchise was part of the foundation their team has been built on, I'm as surprised as anyone by this apparent parting of the ways. I do think that the reasons behind it are unclear and maybe won't be known for a long time after this is resolved.

One scenario I can think of is that Doc wasn't necessarily averse to rebuilding but that Danny felt that rebuilding would be best accomplished with a new coach, knowing that Doc would only be there for the rest of his contract. Danny could think that rebuilding requires building trust in the coach you're going to have when the rebuilding phase moves into the contending phase, and that the team would take steps backward in three years when it has to adjust to a new coach and a new system. If you're going to need a coach in three years, why not get that new coach now? Or maybe Danny feels that Doc is too close to Rondo, that Rondo is the key to rebuilding, and that Rondo needs a different coach to get him to move past the type of play we saw from him this season before he got hurt.

That is pure conjecture and only a couple of many plausible scenarios. The one scenario I don't buy is "Doc is a traitor and is undermining the team for his own selfish interests." Given all that has occurred over his tenure in Boston, that one doesn't make any sense to me.