4:40pm: The Clippers initially offered Bledsoe and Caron Butler to the Celtics, but the Celtics want Jordan and Bledsoe, tweets Shelburne, who adds that L.A. is trying to keep one of the two.
4:37pm: A source tells Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe that he "guarantees" Paul will re-sign with the Clippers if Rivers comes to coach the team. Part of the Clippers' unwillingness to include Bledsoe in the deal has been concern over whether Paul, a free agent this summer, would be back, Holmes writes. Meanwhile, the Celtics have shifted their focus from trying to keep Rivers to working on a deal that sends him to the Clips, according to Holmes.
4:16pm: The Clippers would prefer to acquire both Garnett and Pierce if they can get Rivers, as Shelburne and Marc Stein write for ESPN.com. The Clippers aren't looking to relinquish Blake Griffin in these trade talks, preferring to strengthen their team around Paul and Griffin, according to the report. Shelburne also tweets that the Celtics are primarily focused on acquiring Jordan. If Garnett waives his no-trade clause to head to the Clippers, he'll forfeit about $1.17MM because of higher state taxes in California, according to noted sports accountant Robert Raiola (Twitter link; hat tip to Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun).
3:50pm: Garnett and Rivers are seen as a package deal, with each unwilling to go to the Clippers unless the other joins him, a source tells Shelburne, who hears that Paul Pierce might not be a part of the trade talks for now (Twitter links). Since the Clippers could sign Pierce as a free agent if the Celtics decide to waive him by June 30th, when the guarantee on his contract for next season jumps from $5MM to $15MM+, he's been in and out of trade discussions, Shelburne reports (Twitter links). The Clippers like Rivers, but they remain determined not to "mortgage the farm" in terms of compensation for Rivers, since Lionel Hollins was so impressive in his interview with the team yesterday, Shelburne also tweets. Ultimately, if a deal between the Clips and Celtics is to come together, it will happen by the middle of next week at the latest, according to Shelburne (Twitter link).
3:34pm: The Celtics and Clippers are discussing a deal that would send DeAndre Jordan and two first-round picks to Boston for Kevin Garnett and the right to hire Rivers as coach, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Presumably, the picks and the rights to Rivers would be structured as one deal, while the players would technically be involved in a separate transaction, since a coach can't be traded for current players under NBA rules. Clippers owner Donald Sterling is prepared to pay Rivers about $7MM annually, which is what he's making with the Celtics, according to Wojnarowski.
The hang-up in the deal continues to be Celtics GM Danny Ainge's insistence that Eric Bledsoe be a part of the swap, Wojnarowski adds. While the Clippers appear unwilling to make that happen, Bledsoe would be all right with going to Boston, despite the presence of fellow point guard Rajon Rondo, a source tells Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link).
Rivers could be speaking with soon-to-be free agent Chris Paul today to get his assurance that he'd re-sign with the Clippers as long as Garnett and Rivers join him in L.A., as Wojnarowski also reports. Both Rivers and the Celtics want closure on the process, so there's pressure to complete the deal within two days.
Clippers think they need Bledsoe and his contract to include with Griffin for Dwight Howard in order to give Howard the max he wants once they sign Paul.
This trade makes absolutely no sense. Why would the Clips trade a good, young center for an aging Kevin Garnett….let alone adding two first-rounders??? Add in Bledsoe and you have the worst deal of the last 5 years if it goes through.
If this goes down the Celtics get Blake Griffin. Plain and simple. PP and KG may be old, but they’re top players on this roster. On top of that, you’ll be losing your coach, who happens to be as good as any in the NBA. This is a terrible situation for Boston, but they have rights to all 3 names, and don’t have to just let them walk.
Blake Griffin isn’t really an option, and I’m honestly okay with that cause all he can do is dunk, and if you look up his stats they’ve been on the decline for the last 2 – 3 years
He was only in the league for 3 years.
He’s on the rise as one of the best PFs in the league. I’ve caught some Clips games that they nationally televise and he’s a damn good player. All they highlight is his dunks, but that man can do a lot on the floor.