Daily Doc Rivers update: Doesn't want rebuild, open to other jobs, odds 'overwhelmingly' in favor of staying?
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| No Doc, you can't have a timeout right now. |
Rivers has been attending the Celtics' pre-draft workouts and huddling with Ainge to chart the offseason strategy -- one that could become an exit strategy for Rivers if the remnants of Boston's Big Three era can't be parlayed into moves that sustain the team as a championship contender. "[Doc] has been pretty open that he doesn't want to coach in a rebuilding environment," said a person briefed on Rivers' conversations with Ainge. "And if they make some moves, they're not going to have a rebuilding environment. That's Danny's challenge."
A short while later the Boston Herald's Steve Bulpett published an article with a fairly comprehensive analysis of the situation, including the following:
Sources say he is now open to other jobs in the NBA, providing it's a very good situation and the team and the Celts can agree on fair compensation. In any case, those close to the matter are saying Rivers should be stating his intentions within the next several days. He had reportedly planned to take longer to decide, but an outbreak of stories in the media has pressed him into acting sooner. Multiple sources insist the odds are still "overwhelmingly" in favor of Rivers continuing on his current contract, which still has three years and $21 million left.
I can understand that Doc is curious about what else might be out there. And maybe he thought he could look around and/or take some time to think things over without causing a stir; why bother to say your considering not returning if you don't have to? So the "outbreak of stories pressing him into action" part completely makes sense. A friend of mine suggested to me that "maybe Doc is playing chess with Danny Ainge," and this is his way of trying to ensure Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are still Celtics next year as well. Regardless, the best news here is "Rivers should be stating his intentions within the next several days." I am more than ready to be done with this saga.
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