Doc Rivers: Press Conference and Celtics

[Snakehead]

There's a lot of reading on this from ESPN.com/Boston.  For those of you too lazy to go there, here's the article:

At the start of a conference call with the Boston media on Wednesday, former Celtics coach Doc Rivers was asked the question most fans are still trying to get an answer for: Why did he leave?

"Honestly, that is one of those [questions] that there’s no answer to it," said Rivers. "It’s not like I was looking for change. This kinda came about, and I think [Celtics] president of basketball operations] Danny [Ainge] talked about that yesterday. Let me start by saying this, I didn’t go into this whole process, I never went into Danny’s office and we never had any conversations like, 'If you don’t bring Kevin [Garnett] and Paul [Pierce] back, I don’t want to come back.’ I never went into his office and said that, 'If Rondo is there, I don’t want to come back.’ Rondo and I, our relationship has really grown and it’s good. Danny and I, our relationship was great.

"It’s just the same thing that I go through every year. At the end of the year, I just don’t know if my time has run its course and if it’s time for a change. Two years ago I thought it and I ended up signing because, literally, at that time, I though I had to sign. I just thought it was the right thing to do in the part where our organization was at... I just thought it would be the wrong time to leave. Last year, I thought about it some more, and this year, right after the year, right after the Knicks game, I told everyone, 'Thank you,' because, in my mind, after that game, right after that game, I was probably going to take a break, because I never thought that I could just leave and go somewhere else.'

"I didn’t even think that was something that was in the cards or possible, and I didn’t push for it. But when Danny told me that there was an opportunity to do that, as long as he can take care of his end, then that’s what piqued my interest, honestly. I’ve been here for nine years, I loved it there. I just didn’t know if it wasn’t time. Listen, I could have been wrong about it, but that’s just how I felt."

Rivers was asked if he thought his players might be getting to the point were they might tune him out.

"I didn’t think they had tuned me out, but I thought it could be time for that," said Rivers. "Yeah, I was concerned by that. I thought they were very coachable, the group that I had. But that was a concern. Just having a new challenge, that was something, as a coach, you just don’t want to feel like you’re just there. I also knew we were going to rebuild. And Danny and [ownership], this is one part that Danny and them knew as well: Danny and I have a great relationship, and I think Danny understood that to pay a coach $7 million per year for the next three and maybe not win, that’s a lot. And so I thin, ownership, [co-owner Steve Palgiuca] and I talked on Sunday and he basically said, ‘Listen, we’d love for you to stay, and I’ve heard you decided to stay, but obviously if we get a [first-round] pick [as compensation] and we can get off your contract, too, that’s good, too. I agreed with all that, so let’s just see where it goes. That’s just the mode I was in... and if it goes that is beneficial for them, and beneficial for me, then we should look at it, and this came up."

Rivers had once desired to plant long-term roots in Boston, saying after he inked a five-year, $35 million deal two summers ago that he desired to mimic San Antonio's Gregg Popovich and Utah's Jerry Sloan. So what changed?

"That was my intentions," said Rivers. "I don’t know what changed. It wasn’t anything that Danny or [owner] Wyc [Grousbeck] or ownership did or anything the players did; clearly it wasn't the city. I just felt like I needed change for my voice, I needed change for a challenge standpoint. I don’t know what changed there, but it was me, in that regards. It was just something that I thought was the right thing to do. Again, I wasn't willing to do it, unless I thought I was doing the right thing by Danny and Wyc and his group. As early as Sunday, I called Danny and said, 'Hey, listen, I'm staying. I'm coming back. I'm going to give you everything I have in rebuilding. But I just told him I hope you understand, I have to do it year to year. And Danny was fine with that. Then two hours later he called back and said the deal is done. It's not like they didn't get anything out of this; if they didn't, they could have said no to the deal. And they didn't because Danny thought it was a good thing for the franchise and he also thought it was a good thing for me. Danny and I, our relationship is terrific, so this is not a one-tricky pony deal, where I was the only one fueling this. I never pushed this deal. It did happen, and I thought it was a great opportunity and I took the opportunity."

Doc says at the beginning "It's not like I was looking for a change", and then he later says "I needed a change for a challenge standpoint."  Hmm.  And according to him, there was a mutual agreement between him and ownership that parting ways for the Clippers pick (and shedding his $7 mil/year salary) was best, even though ownership would have let him stay.

He said that he was ready to come back for the rebuild, but I'm skeptical.  Maybe I missed something. In any case, it's all over now, and I'm absolutely thrilled that we got something for him.

You can't say two things at once.  Good post too.  He doesn't make sense here, he could have just owned up more, but whatever.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I love my Celtics.

I wasn't upset that Ray Allen left, and I am not upset that Doc Rivers left...sad about both, but not angry.  I was very upset that Danny seemed to be blowing up the whole team...still am.   I was ready to tar and feather him because I really do not believe in the concept of tanking...to me that is the same as quitting.  However, I am now cooling down.  These are still my Celtics and I will continue to support them and hope that they will get better sooner than rather than later. 

I still hate the idea of tanking, and hope that this year at least, Paul Pierce is still around to retire in Green.

As far as the blame for Rondo, that seems very overblown to me.

Yes ma'am TB!!! I agree with all of this!


Edit: I was not upset that Ray left (I was ready for it long b4), I didn't like that he chose Mia who had booted his butt out of the playoffs two seasons in a row. If he was mad at the organization, go and tell them to kiss butt on the way out but to diss PP and KG by going to Mia was just dumb to me... he has his ring so I guess he could care less.

[sed522002]

After Doc's comments I got closure from the situation. Just listening to his comments and reading between the lines, it was time for a change and his indecision about coaching the C's every season just came to a head.

I think Ainge wanted Doc to coach, but he wanted Doc to want to coach. Instead of it being a last resort. Besides Doc wanted the remainder of the contract to be a year to year basis. Save the stress and get something for Doc while his stock is still high.

After watching the press conference it almost seemed like the Clippers thought they were getting the Messiah. Don't get me wrong, Doc is a good coach, but this season had me scratching my head a lot more than usual. I think he'll do good things for that organization, but Doc alone isn't going to bring them a championship. That have HUGE expectations for him, so there's definitely going to be pressure.

[Mazingerz]

He'll bring his SMALL BALLs to the Clippers.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Never thought the day would come when I'd be regarding Danny Ainge more highly than Doc Rivers. Who knew?

me and plenty others here. 

[More Banners]

There isn't much point inking a coach to a long term contract, is there?  I suppose that's the lesson.

Doc, while under contract, over and over again had to think over whether he would come back, contract or none.  That doesn't exactly provide stability to the organization, and it's frustrating as heck from a management standpoint.

He's in it to win championships?  Fine.  That's the business we're in, too.

His heart wasn't in it, simple as that.

As far as coaches go, he was a better PR man than coach.  Thibs only got $2M per from the Bulls, and he's better than Doc.

I hope we get a shot at the guy who coached at Portland...Nate McM.  He made that team better than it was for sure, and worked with some budding stars.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

He'll bring his SMALL BALLs to the Clippers.

along with no offensive rebounding and no inside power game on the block along with his inability to use players the right way at times. he will bring his jump shooting game and isos though. 

[Tgro]

In retrospect, it does seem better he left. It seems like he was feeling shaky about the future with Boston as well as thinking his message was growing thin and not just aging and injuries anymore. It almost seems like Doc was starting to doubt himself with the Celtics. Or, he just wanted more. (Probably more likely).

And I can also see that the Celtics were probably not gung-ho about paying Doc all that money just to be a rebuilding franchise. It's different when you're getting to the ECF's and you're just a break or two away from the Promise Land. It's another story to pay all that money to be just around .500 or worse. I would imagine tensions between all parties were bound to get worse just floating through a season. After you taste success you don't wanna be just mediocre. 

I really believe Doc and Ainge are close and in some ways this hurts them both inside a bit. But they are both ready to move on and prove their value without each other. It was time. I know what it is like to go somewhere else. I worked somewhere 11 years and when I left and went somewhere else, it just felt fresh. Life will make you want something different even though where you are is perfectly safe. 

The concern with the Celtics is will we get it back together? Someone said they hate tanks. I do too. I like to feel like the team wants to win at all costs. I still have a desire that they run it back. But is it the right thing to do or is it just me being nostalgic?

I wish Doc well. I can see myself cheering for the Clippers as the Playoffs approach. I do feel better about him than Ray. However, I'm concerned for Doc that unless he delivers in 1-2....or maybe 3 years, he'll be ridden out of town. The Clippers haven't seemed to have been used to success and they don't seem to know how to steer the ship once they get closer. Would hate to see Doc give all this up (I think he could have saved it with us if he was more aggressive) just to have it blow up in his face in 1-3 years. I'll miss Doc but in reality, I'll miss KG and PP when they are gone too. Certainly even more.

But it's about the Celtics and not players, coaches and GM's. I'm a fan of the jerseys and forever will be. In some ways I'm glad the finality of it all is behind us.

Now I'm going to go through the same emotions with KG and PP. 

[paidthecost2betheboss]

Doc: "I called Danny [Sunday], said I'm staying... let’s move forward. Then 2 hours later, he said, 'No, you’re not staying, you’re going.'"

This is a big alarm for Wyc. When GM is trying to fool  around the coach. Every normal ownership has to fire GM. Sorry but is intolerable

Timeline. Needed right here.

And at this stage the Rondo rumors were being leaked from someone favoring Doc turning a Circus into a nightmare.

Words out of context have very different meanings.

I don't believe anything Doc said and I believe most of what Wyc said.

[Dchuck]

In retrospect, it does seem better he left. It seems like he was feeling shaky about the future with Boston as well as thinking his message was growing thin and not just aging and injuries anymore. It almost seems like Doc was starting to doubt himself with the Celtics. Or, he just wanted more. (Probably more likely).

And I can also see that the Celtics were probably not gung-ho about paying Doc all that money just to be a rebuilding franchise. It's different when you're getting to the ECF's and you're just a break or two away from the Promise Land. It's another story to pay all that money to be just around .500 or worse. I would imagine tensions between all parties were bound to get worse just floating through a season. After you taste success you don't wanna be just mediocre. 

I really believe Doc and Ainge are close and in some ways this hurts them both inside a bit. But they are both ready to move on and prove their value without each other. It was time. I know what it is like to go somewhere else. I worked somewhere 11 years and when I left and went somewhere else, it just felt fresh. Life will make you want something different even though where you are is perfectly safe. 

The concern with the Celtics is will we get it back together? Someone said they hate tanks. I do too. I like to feel like the team wants to win at all costs. I still have a desire that they run it back. But is it the right thing to do or is it just me being nostalgic?

I wish Doc well. I can see myself cheering for the Clippers as the Playoffs approach. I do feel better about him than Ray. However, I'm concerned for Doc that unless he delivers in 1-2....or maybe 3 years, he'll be ridden out of town. The Clippers haven't seemed to have been used to success and they don't seem to know how to steer the ship once they get closer. Would hate to see Doc give all this up (I think he could have saved it with us if he was more aggressive) just to have it blow up in his face in 1-3 years. I'll miss Doc but in reality, I'll miss KG and PP when they are gone too. Certainly even more.

But it's about the Celtics and not players, coaches and GM's. I'm a fan of the jerseys and forever will be. In some ways I'm glad the finality of it all is behind us.

Now I'm going to go through the same emotions with KG and PP.

TP!  Well said!  And also encouraging to someone who has been with the same company for 10 years and is now moving on.  Im hoping to be recharged as well as you were.  Looks like Doc is doing the same.

[sed522002]

And at this stage the Rondo rumors were being leaked from someone favoring Doc turning a Circus into a nightmare.

Exactly, what was the point of bringing something up that happened 2 years ago and make it seem recent? It's because Rondo is an easy scapegoat and the Boston media would jump on it immediately. I saw through that immediately.

[sed522002]

“I didn’t leave for the same reason as Ray [Allen]. This is not like I was in this by myself. This is something that me and them kind of agreed upon — that it would be the right thing to do — and so this is a totally different situation. Having said that, I wasn’t in favor of [fans turning on] Ray.”

I wonder if you asked Ray, would he feel the same..LOL. Ok, I don't want to knit pick, but you stated you wanted a chance to win another ring and that's why Ray left. The situations are dressed differently,but the results are still the same.

[BudweiserCeltic]

There isn't much point inking a coach to a long term contract, is there?  I suppose that's the lesson.

Doc, while under contract, over and over again had to think over whether he would come back, contract or none.  That doesn't exactly provide stability to the organization, and it's frustrating as heck from a management standpoint.

He's in it to win championships?  Fine.  That's the business we're in, too.

His heart wasn't in it, simple as that.

As far as coaches go, he was a better PR man than coach.  Thibs only got $2M per from the Bulls, and he's better than Doc.

I hope we get a shot at the guy who coached at Portland...Nate McM.  He made that team better than it was for sure, and worked with some budding stars.

Future unprotected first rounder... lesson learned. Let's do it again!

[Clench123]

The truth lies somewhere in the middle

[indeedproceed]

Question I would've asked: "Mommy Doc, whycome you're leaving Daddy Danny? Is it something I did?"