It's apparently everyone but Doc's fault and Doc just won't let go, gosh darn it! Doc Rivers ‘Disappointed’ That Danny Ainge Presented Departure From Celtics as Coach’s Decision Doc Rivers is long gone from Boston, but he is still fighting the perception that he abandoned the Celtics franchise in its greatest moment of need. Rivers, in an appearance on The Dennis & Callahan Show on Thursday morning, disputed Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge‘s characterization of Rivers’ departure as the coach’s choice. Rivers maintains that his leaving was part of a larger organizational restructuring, which included the eventual trading of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. “Honestly, I was very disappointed in that part of Danny’s press conference,” Rivers said while promoting a charity event to be held Wednesday at TD Garden. “Other than that, Danny and I have no issues. Danny knows, just like I know, that that’s not true.” After the Celtics released Rivers from the final three years of his contract to become head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, Ainge said: “It’s not a place that I chose for him to go or a place that I wanted him to be.” Rivers’ account of things at his introductory press conference in L.A. was very different. The Clippers make their first and only visit to Boston this season on Wednesday, Dec. 11. It will be interesting to see how Celtics fans greet the coach who brought them Banner 17 but also left them high and dry when faced with the hard work of rebuilding.
It was easy for him to make that claim at the time. When faced with the cold light of day, and with the chance of coaching Chris Paul---even if his new boss practically wears a sheet and hood to work---Rivers was allowed to change his mind, no? Celtics faithful really ought to take things out on Danny Ainge. He's the one who decided to blow up the team. I don't blame him, but at the same time, it's amazing how people will blame the coach who won't stay to oversee the smoldering ruins of the Celtics but will virtually absolve Danny Ainge, a halfway-decent GM but whose youthful scumbaggery is in the past but whose, uh, verbal dexterity (lies, half-lies) continues. Ainge wanted that new young coach anyway. Wish he'd just be honest for once.
Dude, I am not a Celtics fan and I have zero love for anything Celtics of Boston related BUT, I think you misunderstand the reason for the Celtics fans "anger" if we can call it that. I guess it would be more like mild annoyance. I believe the issue as has been stated before is not that Ainge left or wanted to leave. I think Celtics fans would not blame him, despite the extension. The annoyance is with his on-going attempts to blame his departure on Ainge and the Celtics as opposed to just "man-ing " up and saying he got the Clippers offer and it was just a better opportunity at the moment for him and his family and he's grateful for the opportunity in Boston, yadda yadda yadda.
#1 It was time to rebuild, so I don't think the Celtic fans are going to take pitch forks to Ainge. #2 What proof do you have that Ainge wanted "that new young coach" over Rivers?
Yeah, I think C's fans are just annoyed because he refuses to admit that he left because the Clippers offered a better opportunity.
Gawd, you guys and your "proof". This article puts a little more of the "we want Stevens" on ownership, but I'm sure Ainge and the rest wanted to go with this young man because (a) he'll be good; (b) no vet coach will want to put up with rebuilding; (c) Stevens will be cheaper. I don't think Ainge wanted to push Doc out, it just wasn't gonna be a fit anymore, so why would Ainge fight to keep him there? Doesn't matter. I do think Ainge went in the right direction. Aim for the high draft pick in 2014. Then recruit players. It shouldn't be harder than, "Well, because we're the Celtics." http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/9452021/brad-stevens-introduced-new-coach-boston-celtics Ainge said at Friday's introduction that his "first phone call" after Rivers' departure was to Stevens. "Brad was my first choice," Ainge said. "I have watched and admired his poise, his intelligence, his teams, their effort, their execution under pressure. I've always looked at him the last few years as a guy that was a great candidate to be a head coach [in the NBA], never really thinking it was going to be this soon in Celtics history, but [he] is a guy that I have targeted for a long time as a potential great head coach." Stevens is the youngest coach in the NBA. A source close to the Celtics confirmed that Stevens' deal is for six years and $22 million. He takes over a team that is three seasons removed from an appearance in the NBA Finals. The Celtics won their unprecedented 17th championship in 2008. But with Garnett and Pierce showing signs of slowing down in this year's playoffs, when Boston was eliminated by the New York Knicks in the first round, Ainge has decided to rebuild. "We all know what we are about to embark on," Ainge said, "and he will have great support from ownership and from management. Yes, there will be transition, from the college game to the NBA game, but we will give him the support that he needs to make that transition fast. He's a very smart guy." The surprise move to hire Stevens turns the tradition-bound franchise over to a mentor who is younger than Garnett and who wasn't yet born when Bill Russell won his 11th NBA championship in 1969 (or when John Havlicek added two more in the 1970s). It's the first time the Celtics have hired a college coach since Rick Pitino in 1997, and Stevens is their first coach with no NBA experience of any kind since Alvin "Doggie" Julian gave way to Red Auerbach in 1950. Celtics coach Brad Stevens comments on his new job, why he decided to leave Butler, what he likes about Boston, his expectations for coaching in the NBA and more. A source with direct knowledge of the situation told ESPN.com's Andy Katz that the Celtics contacted Stevens a week ago. The two sides had phone conversations, and the Celtics were waiting for Stevens to say yes. Ainge and the Celtics' ownership group flew to Indianapolis on Wednesday morning for their only in-person meeting with Stevens, and he accepted the job there. It was on the tarmac in Indianapolis on Wednesday that, so smitten by their in-person interview with Stevens and his family, Pagliuca and co-owner Wyc Grousbeck pleaded with Ainge to stay behind in hopes of sealing a commitment from Stevens. "Wyc and Pags, they loved him so much, because they had never met him," said Ainge. "It's always better when the owners want him even worse or more than you do. They almost didn't let me get on the plane."
So after all the huffing and puffing it turns out Simmons was right, just like anyone with half a brain could see.
I'm not sure how Bill Simmons can speak on anything basketball related. He's a "shock value" writer who looks for controversy to stirr up attention for himself. Anytime he speaks on basketball it hurts the credibility of the game. He needs to stay in his place and write articles and let coaches coach. Idiot
Wow. Have you ever actually read a Bill Simmons article? It doesn't even sound like you're describing the same Bill Simmons I read and love. Not a single thing you said applies to him in my mind. Sure, he isn't on the level of someone like Zach Lowe in breaking down basketball, but he is still a thoughtful and intelligent analyst who writes well written articles that are generally fun to read. Is he wrong often? Yes. So what? Aren't we all?
It's almost as if you didn't read the specific article linked that caused this thread to bump again.... The entirety of this thread can be summed up as (1) Bill Simmons was right, tells it like it is, from a fan's perspective, regardless of personal effect (which could have been extremely negative given it shouldn't have made him any friends "on the inside") and (2) Doc Rivers was wrong/lying, told it like it wasn't, from a coach's perspective, looking to maximize his situation. Basically, exactly the opposite of what you said.
