As quickly as the rumors spread Saturday that the Celtics would send Kevin Garnett to the Clippers and let coach Doc Rivers join him in Los Angeles, they died. But talks between the two teams are still alive, reports Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.
Doc Rivers, Kevin Garnett talks between Celtics and Clippers not dead
The Clippers and Celtics are still attempting to hammer out a compromise that would send Kevin Garnett to Los Angeles and allow for Boston coach Doc Rivers to join him.
Grant Halverson
Discussions sputtered when the Clippers refused to include guard Eric Bledsoe in a deal that reportedly also involved big man DeAndre Jordan and a draft pick. Over the past day, Wojnarowski's sources believe Boston has grown more open to a compromise that won't include Bledsoe.
And the Celtics are realizing that bringing Rivers back might not be in their best interests.
“There’s no putting the genie back in the bottle,” an NBA executive old Wojnarowski. “You can’t pretend this didn’t happen and just go back to work.”
Los Angeles reportedly will offer Rivers a five-year contract upon the Celtics nullifying a non-compete clause in his contract. Garnett must also waive a no-trade clause in his contract for the deal to go forward, but he reportedly was ready to do so when talks heated up on Saturday.
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Rivers has been mulling over a return in Boston despite having three years left on his deal. It is believed he wanted no part of a rebuilding situation, but that might be unavoidable for general manager Danny Ainge.
ESPN initially reported that Celtics swingman Paul Pierce was to be included in a trade, but now it's believed that the more likely scenario is Boston buying out Pierce's contract.
Whatever the case may be, the Clippers are hoping to make enough roster changes to entice free agent point guard Chris Paul to return.
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