Doc Rivers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Kobe, LeBron, Rivers, Roy, Mavs

June 24th, 2013 at 1:52pm CST by Luke Adams

We covered many of the pertinent points from Sam Amico's latest NBA report at FOX Sports Ohio earlier today in a post that rounded up today's Cavs rumors. But Amico's piece also features a few more notable tidbits, including word of the Blazers exploring moving up in the draft, the Bucks preparing to make a splash, and league executives beginning to believe Dwight Howard will sign with the Rockets. In addition to Amico's notes, we're hearing plenty of news and rumors from around the league, with the draft just three days away, so let's dive in….

Although Kobe Bryant has talked in the past about possibly retiring when his current contract ends in 2014, he recently said on Brazilian television that he could see himself playing for "another three or four years." Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times has the details and a link to the video clip.
A year from now, we could be looking forward to a sequel to The Decision, as LeBron James decides whether to exercise the 2014 opt-out in his contract with the Heat. For now though, LeBron tells CNN's Rachel Nichols that he hasn't thought about potential free agency, and will address it when the time comes (link via Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel).
A source tells TNT's David Aldridge that Doc Rivers will have more say in the Clippers' basketball decisions than he did for the Celtics.
While he stopped short of officially declaring his NBA career over, Brandon Roy acknowledged to ESPN.com's Kevin Pelton that it's no secret his basketball days are "numbered" (Twitter links).
With Chris Paul seemingly on track to re-sign with the Clippers, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com writes that the Mavericks will have to move on to their Plan B at point guard, and identifies a few possible targets.

Kyler On Paul, Pierce, Garnett, Bledsoe, Jordan

June 24th, 2013 at 10:17am CST by Luke Adams

While replacing Vinny Del Negro with Doc Rivers on the bench may be worth a first-round draft pick on its own, the Clippers' decision to send the Celtics an unprotected 2015 pick was also closely tied to Chris Paul's future in Los Angeles. As Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld writes in today's NBA AM piece, the Clippers hiring Rivers virtually cements Paul re-signing long-term with the club when free agency begins next month.

The NBA still has to approve the Rivers transaction, but that shouldn't be a problem now that Kevin Garnett and other players aren't involved in the deal, so Kyler takes a look at the next steps for both the Celtics and Clippers once Doc officially changes addresses:

The Cavaliers have expressed "serious interest" in acquiring Paul Pierce, but according to Kyler, they're offering a pair of early second-round picks, while the Celtics are reportedly seeking a first-rounder. Kyler echoes what we heard last night, suggesting that Boston isn't averse to keeping Pierce beyond June 30th, guaranteed his full $15MM+ salary, since the team still feels he could be traded for good value later on.
According to Kyler, there have been reports indicating the Timberwolves have interest in re-acquiring Garnett. I'm not sure exactly which reports Kyler is referring to — Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities speculated about the idea earlier this month, but said his sources shot it down. And Adrian Wojnarowski indicated last night that a reunion between Garnett and the Wolves could happen eventually, but in an off-court, ownership capacity.
In any case, Kyler points out that trading KG still makes sense for the Celtics, and with the NBA unlikely to approve a move to the Clippers, other suitors like the Wolves could get involved (though I think Minnesota is far from Garnett's likeliest destination).
The Clippers have long been reluctant to move Eric Bledsoe until they can officially lock up Paul long-term. Now that CP3 appears to be a lock to re-sign, L.A. may begin shopping Bledsoe in earnest. According to Kyler, there has been no shortage of suitors with offers for the young point guard.
Sources tell Kyler that the team isn't worried about bringing back DeAndre Jordan after he was at the center of trade rumors, feeling that Rivers will be able to mend that fence. However, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter), there's still a belief that Jordan will be moved. It may not happen right away though, as the Clippers take time to consider their options.

More Notes On Doc Rivers, Clippers

June 23rd, 2013 at 6:30pm CST by Michael Pina

A few more notes related to today's big news: Doc Rivers is leaving the Celtics to coach the Clippers.

ESPN.com's Marc Stein tweets that the NBA will not change its stance, and that any Kevin Garnett movement will be in violation of CBA rules.
ESPNLA's Ramona Shelburne tweets that Paul Pierce and Garnett could still become members of the Clippers, but that the league will be watching closely. Also, the Clippers might not be interested in acquiring Garnett or Pierce, as Rivers was their primary goal.
Yahoo! NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski says before the Clippers accepted Boston's latest offer, Rivers had informed the Celtics he would return to coach them in 2013/14, instead of going back to television.
CBSSports.com's Ken Berger reports that the agreement in principle comes with the understanding that no subsequent exchange of players can be made between the Clippers and Celtics this summer.
The News-Herald's Bob Finnan believes the Celtics could make Vinny Del Negro their next head coach.

Clippers, Celtics Nearing Doc Rivers Deal

June 23rd, 2013 at 4:56pm CST by Zachary Links

4:57pm: The Clippers and Rivers are working on the length of the deal, tweets Wojnarowski.

4:56pm: The Clippers believe that Chris Paul will soon notify them that the acquisition of Rivers clinches his signature on a max deal when he can legally sign on July 1st, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com.

4:30pm: The deal will see the Clippers trade a 2015 unprotected first-round pick to the Celtics, a source tells Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).

4:02pm: The Clippers and Celtics are nearing a deal to allow Doc Rivers to become the next coach of the Clippers, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. Rivers and the Clippers are working on the language of a five-year, $35MM deal and no agreement will be in place until those details are finalized. It appears that the deal will send a first round pick out east to Boston in exchange for the rights to Rivers.

The longtime C's coach told the Clippers that he was no longer interested in the position on Friday, but Paul pressured L.A. management to fork over a first round pick to get the deal done. Wojnarowski concludes that Rivers' telling the Clps he no longer had interest in the job and the Celtics setting a Friday deadline for a deal were negotiating postures to get the Clippers to up their offer.

Rivers went into the weekend planning to decide his future with the Celtics and sources said he had been leaning strongly toward returning next season to fulfill the three years and $21MM left on his deal. With the Celtics set to rebuild, several sources say that Boston wanted draft-pick compensation over paying for an elite coach.

Western Notes: Mavericks, Clippers, Oberto

June 22nd, 2013 at 10:04pm CST by Spencer Lund

We've already mentioned the "draft and stash" philosophy earlier in the night, and that's what Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News thinks the Mavericks might do if they don't trade their 13th pick in this year's draft. He says they're eyeing German point guard Dennis Schroeder if they choose to keep the pick, which has been considered unlikely as they go for broke at another title with Dirk Nowitzki not getting any younger.

Nowitzki would help fellow German Schroeder mesh with the team, and the Mavs are looking for point guard help after Darren Collison failed to inspire a lot of confidence last season when the team missed the playoffs for the first time since the 1999/00 campaign. Schroeder can also be stashed if the Mavs don't feel he's ready to come in and play heavy minutes in the rotation.

Here's what else is happening around the Western Conference on the first Saturday night since the 2012/13 NBA season concluded.

Former Spurs forward Fabricio Oberto may have hinted at a possible return to the NBA as a part of the Spurs' coaching staff in an interview with Argentinian journalist Julian Mozo, reports Dan McCarney of the Express-News.
Bob Young of the Arizona Republic says the Suns will wear long-sleeved jerseys, like the Warriors did last season, in an effort to improve faltering merchandise sales.
Lakers executive and owner, Jeanie Buss, spoke with the Los Angeles Times' Eric Pincus about her confidence in the team despite Dwight Howard's uncertain future as an unrestricted free agent, and their luxury tax issues after the CBA.
Pincus also offers his thoughts on the Clippers' head coaching candidates after they failed to reach an agreement with the Celtics to let Doc Rivers out of his contract (Sulia link). As reported earlier today, the Clippers have started preliminary contract discussions with Brian Shaw and Byron Scott.
Speaking of coaching searches, with all their interviews completed, the Grizzlies now only need to select a coach, writes Ronald Tillery in the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Jerry Sloan spoke with Mike Sorenson of the Deseret News about his decision to accept an advisory role with the Jazz.
Joe Freeman at the Oregonian looks at draft prospect Peyton Siva as the Trail Blazers' possible 10th pick this Thurday.
Star-Tribune reporter Jerry Zgoda goes through five possible draft selections with Minnesota connections, and details Flip Saunders' first draft with the Timberwolves as head of basketball operations after replacing David Kahn earlier this summer. Saunders was the coach for the Wolves under then-general manager Kevin McHale from 1995-2006.

Clippers Have Talked Contract With Scott, Shaw

June 22nd, 2013 at 4:39pm CST by Chuck Myron

4:39pm: It’s not clear whether Scott is the front-runner for the job, according to Broussard, whose report includes word from Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com that the Clippers intend to go after Rivers one more time once they have an alternative lined up. Broussard also points to the close relationship between Chris Paul and Scott, who was CP3’s coach in New Orleans.

4:25pm: The Clippers began contract talks with Scott after his interview Tuesday, and they did the same Wednesday with Shaw, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports. Sources tell Turner that Scott and the Clippers are “getting there, but still talking,” with no agreement in place yet (All Twitter links).

4:01pm: The Clippers initiated discussion Friday night about the financial framework of a contract with coaching candidate Byron Scott, tweets Chris Broussard of ESPN.com. The team has not had similar talks with Brian Shaw and Lionel Hollins, two of the others that the team considers its primary alternatives to Doc Rivers.

The progress toward an agreement with Scott could signal that the Clippers are finally ready to move on from their pursuit of Rivers, whom the Celtics have been unwilling to release from his contract for the Clips’ offer of a second-round pick. Scott interviewed for the job on Tuesday, and his meeting with owner Donald Sterling went “very well,” Broussard noted earlier this week. Scott reportedly hasn’t interviewed with another team since the Cavs fired him more than two months ago. Scott and the Clippers had preliminary discussions about the job weeks ago.

Scott has been employed as an NBA head coach for at least part of each of the last 13 seasons. He’s 416-521 overall with the Nets, Pelicans (then Hornets) and Cavs. Four of his teams have reached the playoffs, including his back-to-back Finals squads with New Jersey.

If the Clippers hire Scott, Hollins and Shaw could turn to the Nuggets, where both are candidates, as is former Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro. Shaw has also been a candidate for the Sixers job, and the Grizzlies are looking for a new coach as well.

At the end of May, Hoops Rumors readers selected Scott as most likely to land the Clippers job among a field of six choices that didn’t include Rivers. Though much has changed since then, readers may still wind up being correct.

Latest On Celtics/Clippers Talks

June 22nd, 2013 at 1:34pm CST by Chuck Myron

Yesterday we heard that the Celtics/Clippers deal involving Doc Rivers was dead, only to later come across reports that such trade talks would continue. More continues to come in about the on-again, off-again saga, much of it courtesy Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald and Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe. Here’s what we know:

A source tells Murphy that the deal is dead, despite insistence from the Clippers camp that it will be revived. Discussion about a Kevin Garnett-for-DeAndre Jordan trade is probably dead as well, Murphy writes.
Rivers is still in contact with Danny Ainge and deliberating over whether he’ll return to Boston for next season, and the decision is not necessarily tied to whether the Celtics will rebuild, Murphy says.
The Celtics postponed Friday’s press conference with Rivers and Ainge until Monday because the Clippers wanted to discuss a deal again, according to Holmes.
Holmes hears that Rivers wants to continue coaching in the NBA, despite his well-documented misgivings about doing so with a rebuilding team. Yet sources tell Holmes that Rivers could wind up returning to broadcasting, where his salary would not match what he could get as a coach, because it might be too awkward to go back to the Boston bench at this point. Even so, Celtics management maintains that they would welcome him back.
As Holmes points out, the Clippers were prepared to give up a first-round pick for Rivers earlier this week when it appeared there was a second, separate deal involving Garnett. Now that the two sides have pushed the Garnett talk to the backburner under pressure from the league, the Clippers only seem willing to relinquish a second-rounder for Rivers.
Holmes hears from sources who believe the Clippers never intended to pull of a deal with the C’s, and were merely trying to make it seem as though they were to appease Chris Paul.
A source tells Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com that Rivers and Rajon Rondo had a locker-room altercation that nearly turned into a physical confrontation. “An intense dislike” for Rondo is part of Rivers’ motivation for leaving the Celtics, Sheridan writes. Rich Levine of CSNNE.com tweets his doubts that such an incident took place, and believes that if it did, it may have happened as far back as 2010.
In a separate piece, Holmes notes that Celtics assistant coach Mike Longabardi has accepted a position on Jeff Hornacek‘s coaching staff with the Suns. He’s the only Celtics assistant to have depared the team this offseason.

Door ‘Not Closed’ On Celtics, Clippers Deal

June 21st, 2013 at 8:45pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Rasputin of NBA trade rumors appears to be alive once more, as executives tell Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times that the Clippers will make another play on Monday for Celtics coach Doc Rivers. Reports on two occasions, including earlier today, have indicated that talks between the two teams were at an end, but one executive said to Turner tonight that, "The door is not closed yet on getting a deal done." Still, Rivers' agent has told the Clippers he's no longer interested in coaching the team, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who adds that Chris Paul, a proponent of bringing Rivers to L.A., has been displeased with the fallout of what looked to be a failed deal.

The Clippers appear willing to be patient for a Rivers deal because Brian Shaw, Lionel Hollins and Byron Scott, their alternative coaching candidates, aren't likely to leave the market anytime soon. Two of those three haven't been offered a job by another team, according to Turner, adding that Scott hasn't even interviewed with anyone aside from the Clippers.

Boston is seeking a 2014 first-round pick in return for allowing Rivers out of his contract, which has three more seasons left on it. The Clippers are only offering a second-rounder. Clippers owner Donald Sterling and Rivers have negotiated a five-year, $35MM deal, but there's been a growing doubt around the NBA that Sterling really wants to pay that much, according to Wojnarowski.

The Celtics and Clippers have been engaged in talks involving only Rivers and draft picks since commissioner David Stern expressed this week that the league was unlikely to approve any deal that gave the appearance that Rivers was being traded in tandem with players. Such a deal would violate the collective bargaining agreement, and even though the teams appeared to be trying to structure a deal involving Kevin Garnett that would be separate from the Rivers transaction, it appeared that, too, would be vetoed. The Celtics and Clippers may attempt to circle back to a Garnett deal once the Rivers situation is resolved.

Rivers and Ainge will reportedly talk throughout the weekend in hopes of reaching a resolution on his future with the Celtics by Monday, when the team has a press conference scheduled.

Negotiations Between Celtics, Clippers End Again

June 21st, 2013 at 7:00pm CST by Luke Adams

7:00pm: Rivers and Ainge will talk through the weekend, with plans to have a resolution by Monday on Rivers' future as Celtics coach, Wojnarowski reports, adding that Rivers told the Clippers on Friday that he's no longer interested in coaching their team (Twitter links).

6:39pm: Talks won't start up again tonight, but the Clippers believe discussions will resume at some point, and until the team hires a coach other than Rivers, he remains their target, according to Shelburne and ESPN.com colleague Marc Stein. Their report also indicates that one of the Clippers' other coaching candidates told ESPN's Chris Broussard that owner Donald Sterling will take the weekend to ponder whether to move on from Rivers.

4:27pm: Chris Paul "badly" wanted Rivers as his coach and pushed the Clippers to make a deal to get him from the Celtics, according to Wojnarowski. Rivers isn't going after the Clippers job anymore, as his choices for next season appear to be down to coaching for the Celtics or returning to broadcasting, Wojnarowski hears.

4:23pm: A source close to Rivers tells Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com that he believes Rivers will be coaching somewhere next year, in spite of Rivers' frustration with the current situation. Meanwhile, the Clippers had intended to negotiate through the weekend with the Celtics before talks broke down today, Shelburne reports (Twitter links).

3:50pm: The NBA's on-again, off-again deal of the summer appears to be off again, according to Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald. Murphy reports that negotations between the Clippers and Celtics have ended again, and while there's a possibility they could re-open for a third time, both sides seemed to acknowledge today that nothing could be gained.

"The Celtics' price (for Rivers) was a first round pick, and the Clippers weren't willing to do that," a source told Murphy, which echoes an earlier report from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who said L.A. had only put a second-round pick on the table. Wojnarowski has since backed up Murphy's report, tweeting that Rivers is no longer expected to pursue the Clippers' job after talks failed again today.

After the Celtics cancelled a press conference this morning, it was presumed that the Clippers had sweetened their offer, or at least come back to the table to continue discussing potential compensation for Rivers. However, according to Murphy, today's presser wasn't cancelled due to negotiations, but rather due to the fact that Rivers needed more time to ponder his future. Rivers and GM Danny Ainge are now tentatively scheduled to address the media on Monday.

Latest On Clippers/Celtics Negotiations

June 21st, 2013 at 3:22pm CST by Luke Adams

3:22pm: The Celtics and Rivers' camp are "rapidly" coming to believe that no deal is going to be reached with the Clippers, according to Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

2:59pm: Although the Clippers raised the idea of sending Boston a second-round pick as compensation for Rivers, the Celtics are holding out for a first-rounder, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. That would suggest that perhaps the 2015 first-rounder mentioned below hasn't officially been put on the table yet. According to Wojnarowski, the two sides aren't making much progress at this point.

12:47pm: The ongoing saga involving the Clippers, the Celtics, Doc Rivers, and Kevin Garnett took another odd twist this morning, when the Celtics sent out a press release announcing that Rivers and GM Danny Ainge would speak to the media today. Shortly after that announcement, the Celtics postponed the press conference until Monday, tentatively at noon eastern, according to Ben Rohrbach of WEEI.com (via Twitter).

As Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe notes (via Twitter), the unusual move by the Celtics may have been designed to push the Clippers into action. The Clips had previously been unwilling to give up first-round draft picks as compensation for Rivers, but the threat of a press conference in Boston (perhaps to announce that Rivers would be returning) may have changed that, says Holmes.

Hall of Fame scribe Mark Heisler confirms as much, reporting (via Twitter) that the Clippers have now offered a protected 2015 first-round pick for Rivers. If the two sides can reach an agreement on compensation for Rivers, a Doc deal could be completed today, according to Heisler (Twitter link). However, he adds that the same can't be said for a trade involving Garnett. Due to CBA rules, the NBA has essentially insisted that Rivers and KG would have to be moved in separate, unrelated transactions.

To clarify that last point: Because NBA head coaches can't officially be traded, the Celtics aren't allowed to include Rivers in a Garnett deal. Instead, they'd have to release Rivers from his contract, allowing him to sign with the Clippers, making a potential KG/DeAndre Jordan swap an entirely separate transaction.

But the CBA also doesn't allow teams to make two separate moves that are contingent on one another, so the Clippers have shifted their focus to Rivers for now, in hopes of hiring him and then pursuing Garnett at a later date. If the Clips were to land Rivers and agree to acquire Garnett later, they'd have to convince the NBA that the two moves were made independently of one another.

For more details on how these negotiations have played out, check out our posts rounding up the updates from Wednesday and from Thursday.