Jackie MacMullan of ESPN Boston reports that according to league sources, the Nets contacted Danny Ainge and requested permission to speak with Doc Rivers about their vacant head coaching position. Ainge, who chose not to comment on Brooklyn's reported interest when reached for comment today, denied the request. On the record, the Celtics' President of Basketball Operations was pretty straightforward about Rivers' current standing with the team:
"Doc has told me he's coming back..I talk to him almost every day about our team and what we are going to do moving forward…We know people want Doc. We know people want Rajon Rondo and (Kevin Garnett) and Paul Pierce. They are the Celtics. They've all had great success."
MacMullan looks back at the time Rivers signed his extension with Boston back in 2011, pointing out that when asked about the inevitable lean years to follow once the Celtics' core was no longer competitive, he explicitly stated that he'd be willing to be part of a rebuilding situation:
"I don't think anyone is looking forward to [rebuilding]…but I'm willing to do that. I've had a group that has been very loyal to me, and I think it would have been very easy to just run and go somewhere else and chase something else. … I just don't think that's the right thing to do. Coaches talk about loyalty and team, and I just thought it was time to show it."
Though it seems that Boston is expecting Rivers to continue coaching the team, MacMullan writes that it won't prevent other teams from continuing to make overtures for their head coach. She also alludes to the fact that the Magic had offered Doc their team presidency last year, and while he said that he had "little to no interest" of running a team and ultimately turned them away, it had been enough for the Orlando resident to briefly consider it.
Interestingly enough, MacMullan adds that if Rivers should decide to return to broadcasting next year and beyond, Boston would still own his rights over the life of his contract – which still has three years left on the deal. If a team were to pursue him at that point, they would still have to negotiate and possibly compensate the Celtics. Rivers is expected to get in touch with his assistant coaches this weekend, all of which have expiring contracts.