UPDATE: DOC RIVERS, DANNY AINGE PRESS CONFERENCE POSTPONED

UPDATE: DOC RIVERS, DANNY AINGE PRESS CONFERENCE POSTPONED

By WEEI
 

The Celtics announced that president of basketball operations Danny Ainge and coach Doc Rivers will take part in a press conference at noon on Friday at the team’s practice facility in Waltham. Presumably, the status of Rivers for the forthcoming season — chiefly, whether he will return to the Celtics or head to the Clippers — will be resolved at that time.

UPDATE: Shortly after the press conference was scheduled, the Celtics confirmed to WEEI’s Mike Petraglia that it had been postponed and rescheduled for noon Monday. Whenever it takes place, the press conference will be carried live on WEEI.

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Ha

Something is up. This may have been Danny's way of forcing the Clippers hand, or another option has popped up.


Pete

In the immortal words of Don Corleone "it's just business."

The league has opened up the rulebook, just wide enough to remind themselves that the rules now prohibit trading for a coach.  Same thing in the NFL.  There was a time it was legal in both leagues and a couple of times it was actually done.  That's in the past.

Now, the ficticious but often quoted Mafia Don would always find a way around, and I suspect that could be the case here.

The strength that the Clippers have at this point is that they can just sit and wait to see what happens.  In all likelyhood there is no reason for Doc to return to The Celtics next year.  The question is what is the method of his departure.  If he walks, he's prohibited from coaching for a couple of years if The Celts so choose.  Doc can also just sit and wait at this point, that is if he truly wants to head west.  There is at least an even chance The Celts are going to want to move on, and keeping a coach who does not want to endure rebuilding makes no sense, so they could also turn Doc loose.  If that happens he simply joins The Clippers and they have no need to compensate us.  If not he hangs here and gets paid and Chris Paul sees The Clips went all out for him, which should be enough to keep him there; it's not like he's going to get to play for Doc elsewhere.  So The Clips at worst keep Paul and bring in Hollins or Shaw.

There is also no reason The Clips need KG.  Their bottom line is keeping Chris Paul happy.  Having done that with or without Doc they can pursue KG and Pierce in a separate deal that would keep the league happy as well as make Paul an even happier camper.

This is going to take some time to play out.

A LONG time ago, I went to see Hunter S. Thompson at the Somerville Theater in Somerville, MA.  I bought a t-shirt at the show that night, that I still have (and still fits!) that quotes Hunter:

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro".

That pretty much sums this up.


bob


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NyCelt

I don't think that its illegal to trade a coach.If it was Stern would have made a issue of it.  It does however depend on who is involved in the trade. A single trade involving Garnett and Doc for Jordan and Draft picks was a no no because it involved Doc with no cba contract and Jordan with a Cba contract. Thus an attempt to make it two separate deals with Jordan for Garnett completly ok and Doc for 2 draft picks ok because neither is governed by a cba contract. Now the focus has switched to contingencies and intent and we'll just have to see how this all plays out. 
  But this is just my opinion and not worth more than 10 cent wager.

Swish

swish,

I was under the impression that coaches can't be traded for any compensation, according to the current CBA. It was possible in the past, but I think it has since been deemed an illegal practice for teams to engage in. If I'm right, the Doc Rivers thing would almost certainly have to be an "agreement," meaning he can't be directly part of any specific transactions. However, Boston could make the trade of KG and 2 draft picks for DeAndre Jordan. Later, the team could "release" Rivers from his contractual obligations and he "mysteriously" appears in LA for the coaching job.

Stern's fascist regime can't stop that 

k_j_88

I know that it has been done in the past but I wonder why Stern did not state that it is illegal now instead of talking about blocking it because of contingencies etc.

Swish

swish,

That is a very good question. But overall, the end result is the same. Him threatening to block an event is in a sense him saying something is "illegal," whether or not the term was explicitly used. Semantics perhaps?

In either case, I'm sure the deal will get done at some point as soon as both sides hash out a loophole in Stern's list of commandments.

KJ and Swish,

It appears the league did issue a statement to both teams that the transaction could not take place, but for some reason we kept negotiating.

The cleaner and correct way to do it would have been to let Doc go so his contract would be void and make a separate KG for Jordan and 2 picks deal.  Now that everyone has seen the proposed structure involving the two picks as compensation for Doc, the league is saying they would void that deal since they know our intent.  Both sides simply failed to keep a lid on what they were doing long enough.  Doc is actually they only one that's kept fairly quiet.

Now to make it work a different deal for players needs to be structured, and I'm guessing that's why we're seeing Pierces name included.  If we can come up with a different player exchange and then terminate Doc it might fly with the league.  It's going to be a "chicken or the egg" question; do we need to terminate Doc first or make the trade first. The Clippers will probably also stall things and wait to see if we decide to part ways with Doc regardless.  I made a comment in my post above to the point that they're in good shape if all of this was about keeping Chris Paul happy.

Regards

NYCelt,

Can the league prevent Boston from cutting Doc from his contract and LAC from hiring him?

In my opinion, this deal in contingent upon mere technicalities.

k_j_88

I don't believe the league could stop it.

As to the technicalities. They appear to be part of the CBA and subject to enforcement by the commissioner.
Swish

Well then.... looks like a game of "Trust" to me.

NYCelt

This sure looks like a tough one to resolve.I would think that it will take a while to make this a happy ending for all.

Swish

What remains to be seen is this: will Stern block a legitimate trade that falls under the CBA?

KG and Swish,

The one thing I think we can all say for certain is that Danny and The Clips went about this in the wrong way, and now have to figure a way to appease the league if they want to get it done.  I wonder if the presser being canceled and Doc heading home simply means it's all off.


Regards

NYCelt

Like that World War 2 saying- "loose lips sink ships"  both sides did enough public talking to ensure that Stern had plenty of evidence that there were  contingencies involved in the trade talks. Oh well! Whats next?

Swish

Hey NYCelt,If Stern nixes a legitimate KG-Jordan Swap, do you suppose both teams could sue the league for restraint of trade?  The term certainly fits the act.
Sam

sam wrote:Hey NYCelt,If Stern nixes a legitimate KG-Jordan Swap, do you suppose both teams could sue the league for restraint of trade?  The term certainly fits the act.
Sam

Sam,

The NBA has all the major venues tied up in all the major cities, making it virtually impossible for a competing league to rise and be profitable.  

As long as we're going after them on violating the Sherman Anti-Trust Act like you suggest, we might as well bury them with it.


bob


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BobH,

It was just a play on words  Frankly, I think all the conjecture is amusing because so little is known about what's really going on.  So all I'm moved to contribute is an occasional attempt at humor.

Sam

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro".

Bob, this explains a woman I knew.

sam wrote:BobH,

It was just a play on words  Frankly, I think all the conjecture is amusing because so little is known about what's really going on.  So all I'm moved to contribute is an occasional attempt at humor.

Sam

I don't know at this point.

I'm more apt to go with Bob's Hunter Thompson quote as describing the normal state of affairs for the NBA.

Reports now have The Clippers close to signing Scott as their head coach.  If so, we'll have to move on to something new.

Regards