Doc Rivers trade to L.A. Clippers is dead, Danny Ainge confirms

The deal, which would have sent Rivers and Garnett to the Clippers in exchange for DeAndre Jordan and at least one draft pick, plus other assets, was reported as heating up, stalling, changing and even nearly complete. None of those words can describe the proposed transaction now, though. Celtics general manager Danny Ainge went on record with an official denial to the Boston Globe on Tuesday morning:

Los Angeles Times beat writer Brad Turner quoted a Clippers executive saying the deal was off because the Celtics were “asking for too much.” Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski and CBS Sports’ Ken Berger all reported the same, but A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England suggested the deal died due to the “ultimate cheapskate move” of the Clippers not being willing to give up a second first-round pick in exchange for Rivers and Garnett.

Other iterations of the deal included the Clippers absorbing the mid-level contracts of either Jason Terry, Courtney Lee or both, which the Clippers ultimately balked at doing. Rivers’ new salary, as well as a $3 million trade kicker in Jordan’s contract, were also costs the Clippers didn’t want to absorb, according to Wojnarowski.

Rivers’ future with the Celtics is now up in the air. Ainge has asked Rivers to return as coach, according to Wojnarowski, but it’s unclear whether Rivers or Garnett wants to return for a rebuilding effort.

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