Doc Rivers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Doc, KG, Pierce Want Clips If They Can’t Stay Celts

June 15th, 2013 at 11:39am CST by Zachary Links

There's a rising belief around the NBA that coach Doc Rivers, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce all want to carry on as a trio with the Clippers if they can't roll on in Boston, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Stein sees it as a very possible scenario with a cash/draft pick driven deal for Rivers and separate trades for KG and Pierce without surrendering Blake Griffin (link).

That's not to say that there aren't stumbling blocks for the Clippers to clear before bringing the trio to Los Angeles. Rivers has an unusually strong non-compete clause in his contract that prohibits him from coaching elsewhere for the duration of the deal, which takes him through 2016. There's also a lot of salary that would have to go from L.A. to Boston to accomodate a deal with both Pierce and Garnett. The club could revisit talks from this past trade deadline that would have sent the duo to the Clippers in a package involving Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan.

Clause In Rivers’ Deal Could Hinder Clips’ Pursuit

June 14th, 2013 at 7:07pm CST by Chuck Myron

An unusually strong non-compete clause in Doc Rivers' contract with the Celtics could prove a further stumbling block should Rivers want to coach the Clippers or any other team next season, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. The clause states that Rivers may not coach a team other than the Celtics for the duration of the deal, which runs through 2016. That may not completely scuttle any plans he had of moving on to the Clippers or elsewhere, Berger writes, but it could give Celtics GM Danny Ainge additional leverage to extract a heavy price from another team in return for allowing him to coach there.

Most NBA coaching contracts include language outlining what were to happen if the coach left for another team while under contract, but in the Celtics' pact with Rivers, the language is part of a separate clause. The net result could be more psychological than legal, according to Berger, though it appears Ainge is already setting a high price for the Clippers.

Rivers, who may not be willing to coach a rebuilding team in Boston, has been on the Clippers' radar for a while, and Berger hears the team's executives met several weeks ago to discuss their plan of action should Rivers become available. For now, the Clippers are focused on Lionel Hollins, with whom the team just finished a two-day interview, as well as Byron Scott and Brian Shaw.

The Celtics are allowed to ask for draft picks and cash in return for Rivers, but any deal involving players currently on either team's roster would have to be worked out as a separate transaction. Ultimately, the idea of Rivers coaching the Clippers next season appears "far-fetched," according to execs who spoke to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.

Latest On Doc Rivers, Clippers

June 14th, 2013 at 12:33pm CST by Luke Adams

With rumors continuing to swirl about Doc Rivers' future, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times spoke to several NBA executives about the saga and about reports of mutual interest between Rivers and the Clippers. Here are the highlights from Turner's piece:

Most of the executives who spoke to Turner agreed that the possibility of Rivers coaching the Clippers next season is "far-fetched." Asked if he could see Rivers joining the Clippers, one executive replied: "I don’t think so. It is very complicated. They [the Celtics] have a guy under contract. Maybe they’d let him out if this happened or that happened. It’s all very speculative."
If the Celtics were to let Rivers explore the Clippers' job, GM Danny Ainge would want significant compensation, according to multiple executives. Two execs suggested Ainge would ask for Eric Bledsoe, DeAndre Jordan, and Caron Butler's expiring contract, along with two first-round picks, in exchange for Kevin Garnett, Courtney Lee, Jason Terry, and Rivers. That list of names seems somewhat speculative to me, but it provides an idea of how high Ainge might aim.
Even if Rivers were to part ways with the Celtics, he'd still have to negotiate a new contract with Donald Sterling and the Clippers, who likely wouldn't come close to matching the $7MM annual salary Rivers is earning in Boston.
Earlier today, we passed along a report indicating that former Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro could interest the Celtics if they lose Rivers.

Atlantic Notes: C’s, Del Negro, Nets, Will Bynum

June 14th, 2013 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

A source that spoke to Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald expects Doc Rivers to return to the Celtics, if for no other reason than the fact that no other team will offer him the $7MM annual salary he's earning in Boston. However, if Rivers does decide to part ways with the team, Vinny Del Negro would receive serious consideration as his replacement, multiple sources tell Murphy.

"As a stopgap for that situation, sure," one source said. "Vinny would be the perfect person for what they need. All of the All-Star coaches, or whatever you want to call them, are going, and knowing how Danny [Ainge] feels about him, [Del Negro] would be a good fit."

Here's more from around the Atlantic Division on a Friday morning:

Appearing on WFAN this morning, Nets GM Billy King said he expects C.J. Watson to opt out of the final year of his contract to become a free agent (link via Josh Newman of SNY.tv).
Jason Kidd confirmed on ESPN Radio this morning that he has extended an offer to former Nets head coach Lawrence Frank to join his staff in Brooklyn (link via Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com). "The invitation is out there, so it's up to him," Kidd said.
Even after hiring Kidd, the Nets are still a move or two away from becoming a legit contender, says Filip Bondy of the New York Daily News.
Pacers president Donnie Walsh tells Fred Kerber and Mark Hale of the New York Post that he was "disappointed" the Nets didn't decide to hire Indiana assistant Brian Shaw.
Yesterday, Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press named the Knicks as a team with interest in Will Bynum, and today he adds another Atlantic team to Bynum's potential list of suitors: The Sixers (Twitter link). The Pacers and Lakers may also be interested, according to Ellis.

Western Notes: Wolves, Mavericks, World Peace

June 13th, 2013 at 10:40pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune writes that the Timberwolves will likely trade either J.J. Barea or Luke Ridnour by draft night. In the same piece, Zgoda notes that GM Flip Saunders is impressed with Victor Oladipo. Minnesota – currently slated to draft ninth overall – would have to swing a deal into the top five in order to have a chance at the former Hoosier star, though Zgoda doesn't think the team has enough assets to accomplish that. Here are more news and notes from the Western Conference tonight:

The Grizzlies interviewed Ed Pinckney today and are another team among those monitoring Doc Rivers' situation with Boston, says USA Today's Sam Amick (Twitter links).
While recalling the Mavericks' decision to break up their championship roster, coach Rick Carlisle described it as "gut-wrenching." This summer, Dallas will have another chance to reap the rewards from that tough decision, and Carlisle seems determined to get things done: "We're going to be active in free agency…We're an aggressive franchise by nature; our owner (Mark Cuban) is. And that's good. We're going to put together a good team" (A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com)
Lakers forward Metta World Peace has been working out at the IMG Academy and reportedly looks great, tweets Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld.
Matt Moore of CBS Sports isn't so sure George Karl would be a good fit with the current Grizzlies roster. Going off of reports that Brian Shaw and Lionel Hollins are in the lead for the Nuggets' job, Moore thinks Shaw would be an ideal fit, whereas Hollins would have more of a challenge with Denver's youth.
Darnell Mayberry of NewsOK explains why Mason Plumlee would be a solid pick for the Thunder with the 12th overall pick.
Janis Carr of the OC Register (Subscribers only) takes a closer look at Mark Madsen's coaching opportunity with the Lakers' D-League affiliate, the Los Angeles D-Fenders.

Mutual Interest Between Doc Rivers, Clippers

June 13th, 2013 at 8:52pm CST by Luke Adams

8:52pm: Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald reports that Danny Ainge had denied the Clippers permission to contact Rivers earlier this week, though Rivers is said to now be intrigued at the prospect of other coaching opportunities.

7:57pm: Frank Isola of the New York Daily News (via Twitter) cites a source who tells him that Rivers ending up with the Clippers is "gaining momentum."

4:01pm: If Doc Rivers decides to part ways with the Celtics this offseason, there would be "strong mutual interest" between Rivers and the Clippers, according to Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. The ESPN.com duo reports that the idea of coaching the Clippers would be highly intriguing to Rivers, and that the current Celtics coach would be L.A.'s number one choice should he become available.

According to Stein and Shelburne, the Celtics would like Rivers to return and don't want to see him coaching another team next season, considering he has three years left on his contract in Boston. However, if Rivers decided he wanted to leave, the C's could potentially be persuaded to let him go to the Clippers if they received compensation, whether that came in the form of a veteran player or draft picks.

The ESPN.com report also includes a number of other juicy Clippers and Celtics tidbits, so we'll round them up here:

Trade discussions between the two teams prior to February's deadline included expanded deals which would have sent both Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Clippers, with Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan among the pieces going to Boston. While those talks were unsuccessful at the time, it's possible the two sides could revisit them this summer. As the ESPN.com scribes point out, the L.A. job could become even more appealing to Rivers if Garnett or Pierce were heading west with him.
No matter who is hired as the Clippers' head coach, the team is expected to very aggressive when it comes to roster moves, looking to re-sign Chris Paul and then upgrade the roster around CP3 and Blake Griffin.
The Clippers have some interest in the rumored deal that would send Bledsoe and Caron Butler to the Magic in exchange for Arron Afflalo, but would likely want at least one more asset to part with Bledsoe.
If the Celtics decide to bring back Pierce, it would greatly increase the odds of Garnett playing another season, which in turn would figure to improve the chances of Rivers returning as well.

Eastern Rumors: Pacers, Rivers, Cheeks, Kidd

June 13th, 2013 at 12:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Echoing what we've heard out of Indiana for weeks, team president Donnie Walsh told reporters, including Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star, that re-signing David West this summer is "priority number one" for the Pacers.

"We want him back as much as you can want anyone back," Walsh said. "We think he’s one of the anchors of the team."

Here's more from around the Eastern Conference:

Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald brings us a few more details on the decision facing Doc Rivers, writing that the Celtics coach is torn between wanting to carve out a long career with a single franchise and worrying about losing effectiveness if he remains too long in Boston. Multiple sources tell Bulpett the odds are still "overwhelmingly" in favor of Rivers returning to the C's.
From GM Joe Dumars to advisor Phil Jackson to owner Tom Gores, there was no dissension when it came to the hiring of Maurice Cheeks as the Pistons' new head coach, Dumars told reporters today (Twitter links via the Detroit Free Press).
ESPN.com's Marc Stein is hearing that Cheeks would like to add former Thunder colleague Rex Kalamian as the top assistant on his Pistons staff (Twitter link).
Jason Kidd spoke to Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News about entering the next phase of his career in the NBA, and coming "home" to the Nets.
In addition to talking to Lawrence Frank and others about joining Kidd's staff in Brooklyn, the Nets have talked about pursuing longtime NBA assistant Dave Wohl, says Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.

Odds & Ends: Rivers, Pekovic, Bucks

June 12th, 2013 at 9:29pm CST by Michael Pina

A few random notes from around the league on this busy Wednesday evening between Games 3 and 4 of the NBA Finals.

With Doc Rivers and the Celtics seemingly at a standstill, other teams around the league might have their ears perked at the idea of one of Rivers becoming a free agent. The Magic might be one of those teams, writes Orlando Sentinel reporter Brian Schmitz.
ESPN Boston reporter Chris Forsberg opines on the impact Rivers leaving Boston would have on the Celtics, and it isn't positive.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune's Jerry Zgoda tweets an ambiguous statement from Timberwolves President Flip Saunders on his biggest offseason priority, re-signing free agent center Nikola Pekovic. The two didn't meet in Europe, as was planned last week.
Charles F. Gardner from JSOnline.com reports that the Bucks will not bring back five of their assistant coaches from last season.

Odds & Ends: Celtics, Bosh, World Peace, Bucks

June 12th, 2013 at 5:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Ken Berger of CBSSports.com follows up on several reports we've heard about Doc Rivers this week, confirming that Rivers wouldn't be interested in sticking around if the Celtics decide to rebuild. GM Danny Ainge believes the team can avoid a full-fledged rebuild, but it remains to be seen what will happen with Paul Pierce, whose contract is only partially guaranteed for now, and Kevin Garnett, who is believed to be considering retirement. As Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld notes (via Twitter), if Rivers steps down as the Celtics' coach, it will be a pretty good indication that Pierce's and Garnett's days in Boston are numbered.

Let's round up a few more odds and ends from around the NBA….

If Rivers does decide to part ways with the Celtics, it's unlikely that the team would allow him to coach elsewhere without receiving significant compensation, tweets Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe.
Chris Bosh's Miami Beach home may be on the market, but Bosh doesn't have any desire to hit the open market himself, telling Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel that he'd like to spend the rest of his career with the Heat.
Speaking to Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com, Metta World Peace seems to hint that he'd like to work out a new deal that would assure he remains with the Lakers. "I came here at a discount five years ago and I did that because I just want to win," World Peace said. "I thought my last contract was fair. I probably could have got more somewhere else, but I thought it was fair. Right now, the main thing with the Lakers whenever we cross that path is that (the offer) is just fair."
Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld examines the Spurs and Heat players in the Finals who will be hitting free agency next month.
Addressing a report that suggested he and Monta Ellis nearly came to blows in the locker room after a Bucks playoff loss to the Heat, Larry Sanders says it was "just personalities clashing" and that he'd have no problem playing with Ellis next season and beyond (Twitter link via Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times).
Although the focus will be on their pursuit of a star, the Mavericks should also be looking to add quality depth to the roster this summer, writes Bryan Gutierrez for ESPNDallas.com.

Grizzlies Rumors: Pinckney, Lee, Rivers

June 12th, 2013 at 3:27pm CST by Luke Adams

While Dave Joerger is viewed as the favorite for the Grizzlies' head coaching job, it appears the team will explore plenty of other options before making a decision. Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reports that Memphis has received permission to speak to Bulls assistant Ed Pinckney about the position, marking the first time this offseason that we've heard Pinckney's name come up in a head coaching search. Here's more on the Grizzlies:

In addition to Joerger and Pinckney, the Grizzlies have also spoken to George Karl and Alvin Gentry and intend to have them in for formal interviews, says Berger. The team isn't interested in Brian Shaw.
Memphis is also eyeing new faces for its front office, according to Sam Amick of USA Today, who reports that the club has been granted permission to speak to Nets director of basketball operations Milton Lee. The Grizzlies are considering Lee for a senior executive position in the front office, and Amick adds that the decision to interview him is tied to Chris Wallace's uncertain future with the team.
Amick also has some updates on the coaching search, following up on Berger's report by confirming that Pinckney will meet Thursday with the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies have not requested permission to speak to Doc Rivers, but the club would have "serious interest" if Rivers decided to step down as coach of the Celtics, says Amick. For now, Memphis is monitoring the situation in Boston.