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Shrouded by the still-unfathomable possibility that Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers could skip town -- this after his unforeseen change of heart in facilitating a rebuilding process -- is the fact Rivers nearly made a break for Los Angeles with Kevin Garnett in tow.

Let that marinate for a second: The Celtics were very close to not having Kevin Garnett any more.

No ferocious chest pounds. No crazy food analogies. No pregame head-banging on the stanchion. No four-letter expletives picked up by courtside microphones. No more telling Boo Boo to go to bed. No bar fights. No late-game grooving to Gino (someone better send a VHS of that American Bandstand clip to whatever destination he lands in if he does leave town; nothing makes Garnett happier).

Oh sure, we knew this day was coming. Celtics fans were downright paralyzed by the idea that Garnett might retire last offseason, only to dance in the streets to news that he inked a three-year extension.

It was still a year-to-year pact for Garnett, but it seemingly ensured that he would retire in green. Heck, he said as much when -- as rumors swirled about his future before this season's trade deadline -- he announced (unprompted) in early February that, "I just want to say that I love my situation [in Boston] & I bleed green and I continue to do that. And, if it's up to me, then I'm going to retire a Celtic. So I just want everybody to know that, all right?"

Now there's a very real chance that Garnett might retire elsewhere. While Boston's talks with the Clippers appeared to die Tuesday, there's always the chance Garnett is shipped out to facilitate a rebuilding process if the Celtics elect to go in that direction.

It's impossible to overstate what Garnett has meant to the Celtics franchise. His arrival changed virtually everything for a Boston team coming off a dreadful 2006-07 season in which it lost a franchise-record 18 straight games. Garnett embodied the "Ubuntu" team-first mentality that -- five years ago Monday -- left him bellowing, "Anything is possssiiiibbbble!!!" after the Celtics secured Banner 17 to cap his first season in Boston.

Hop HERE to read the full story.

Rapid reaction after trade talks between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers appear to die Tuesday morning:

THE NITTY GRITTY
After four days of on-and-off negotiations about a potential package that would have sent Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett to Los Angeles, the Clippers and Celtics broke off talks again Tuesday as sources indicated the Clippers walked way from the table while balking at including two first-round picks in exchange for Rivers' services. The Celtics would have received DeAndre Jordan and one first-round pick in a proposed package.

WHAT'S UP, DOC?
Rivers has spent the past six weeks on the fence about returning to Boston and it seemed as if the Celtics might be resigned to a move given that he was less than 100 percent committed to the potential roster overhaul that lies ahead. But with talks breaking off and the Clippers suggesting they'll examine free-agent options like Brian Shaw and Lionel Hollins (coaches that won't force the team to break up its roster or pay big money to bring on), it makes you wonder if Rivers can come back to Boston without issue. He can easily smooth over the public side of this, suggesting he was simply examining all options as part of his annual detox process and that he could never have left Boston regardless of how things played out. Internally, he's got a little more explaining to do, this just two years after pledging to be part of the less-than-exciting roster overhaul process that loomed. There could be some resentment among players who think their coach was fixing to go chase a championship elsewhere. That said, if there's any coach capable of smoothing over any hard feelings, it's Rivers.

BACK TO SQUARE ONE
All these very public negotiations did the past four days is add to Boston's offseason headaches. In a way, they are right back to square one, only it's a bit more awkward now. The Celtics still don't have a commitment from their head coach and they still don't have a definitive offseason path. What happens next with Kevin Garnett? And Paul Pierce? How do players like Rajon Rondo feel about the way this whole fiasco played out? The draft looms little more than a week away and free agency opens soon after.

BAD DEAL AVOIDED?
It was pretty obvious that the Clippers had the leverage in negotiations and were unwilling to sweeten the deal for Boston, whether it be the initial request for the inclusion of backup point guard Eric Bledsoe or, later, another first-round pick (which is a bit more baffling since a championship contender's pick would be a not-so-valuable late first-round selection). Regardless, Boston really couldn't come away with just DeAndre Jordan and a first-round pick for one of the league's elite coaches (Rivers) and the backbone of their team (Garnett). Boston needed to move another cap-clogging contract (Jason Terry, Courtney Lee) or get back more in return to even consider giving away two of its top assets.

IT'S OVER, RIGHT?
What a dizzying 96-hour period from the time talks got hot and heavy on Saturday until things fell apart for good on Tuesday. This whole process was like a bad game of red light, green light (trade edition). Now maybe both sides can move forward with other options and bring a bit more definitiveness to their respective offseasons.

The latest twist in the Doc Rivers saga:

The Los Angeles Clippers informed the Boston Celtics on Tuesday morning they are pulling out of talks to acquire Kevin Garnett and Doc Rivers, sources told ESPN.

The teams have no plans to speak again, the sources said, and the Clippers are preparing to move on and hire a coach this week.

The talks broke down Tuesday morning when the Clippers "refused to budge" on Boston's latest proposal that asked for DeAndre Jordan, straight up for Garnett, and two first-round draft picks as compensation for allowing Rivers out of the final three-years and $21 million of his contract.

A team source told ESPNBoston.com's Chris Forsberg that "of course" Rivers is welcome to return to coach the Celtics. The question now is whether Rivers still desires to return after this publicized flirtation with the Clippers and his obvious uneasiness about a rebuilding process in Boston.

The Clippers will now go forward with second interviews of Byron Scott on Tuesday and Brian Shaw on Wednesday, where each will meet with owner Donald Sterling. Lionel Hollins had a two-day interview in which he met with Sterling last week.

Clippers sources say the team expects to hire a coach by the end of this week, or early next week.

Hop HERE for the latest.

The wait continues in the Doc Rivers saga. The latest from ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne:

It appears that the saga surrounding Doc Rivers and his proposed cross-country relocation from the Boston Celtics' bench to the Los Angeles Clippers' bench will drag out at least one more day.

Has your opinion of Doc Rivers changed over the last week or so?

•  
  52%
  Yes ... he clearly is no longer passionate about coaching the Celtics.
•  
  48%
  No ... I'll always love Doc. I'm sure this potential move to the Clippers wasn't his idea.

(Total votes: 8,050)

Sources close to the process told ESPN.com that the Celtics and Clippers held "substantive discussions" Monday on the proposed multi-layered transactions that would send Rivers and Celtics star Kevin Garnett to Los Angeles. But the teams, sources say, remain unable to agree on a final trade framework to go through with the two deals, even after Boston relented on its insistence that the Clippers include prized young guard Eric Bledsoe as part of the package for Rivers and Garnett.

Another element of the talks, sources said, is the negotiations between Rivers and the Clippers on a coaching contract. Rivers has three years left on his original five-year, $35 million deal with the Celtics and will be looking to stay in the same salary range if Boston ultimately receives what it deems sufficient compensation to let the 51-year-old out of that deal.

So the Clippers, in what NBA coaching sources are terming a "separate process," have moved ahead with their coaching search just in case, for one reason or another, they'll be unable to pry Rivers out of Boston. They've arranged sitdowns this week for Byron Scott (Tuesday) and Brian Shaw (Wednesday) with Clippers owner Donald Sterling, with the other finalist for the Clippers' job before the pursuit of Rivers got serious -- Lionel Hollins -- having already met with Sterling.

Yet numerous sources connected to talks continued to express optimism Monday that the Celtics and Clippers will agree to terms this week, with some interpreting the Clippers' plans to resume talks with the likes of Shaw and Scott as their latest thinly veiled message to the Celtics that they aren't afraid to walk away from the table.

"It's a dance right now," said one source close to the process. "I think it'll eventually happen. They're just staring at each other."

Said another: "It's certainly not dead. I think they have an idea of the main parties who would be involved, but now they've got to figure out smaller details and negotiate a deal with Doc."

Hop HERE to read the latest.

The latest as negotiations between the Clippers and Celtics heat up again:

The Celtics and Clippers have relaunched discussions on a new trade framework that could bring a resolution to the complicated talks regarding coach Doc Rivers and star forward Kevin Garnett potentially going to Los Angeles in a multiplayer deal, according to sources close to the process.

With the Clippers adamant that prized young guard Eric Bledsoe will not be included in the trade for Garnett, sources told ESPN.com one proposed tweak to end the weekend stalemate in the talks is the prospect of the Clippers taking back the contract of either Courtney Lee or Jason Terry from the Celtics.

Shedding the long-term money owed to either Lee or Terry, sources said, could convince the Celtics to relent on their demand that Bledsoe be included in the trade. A deal could be completed later Monday or by Tuesday, sources said.

Hop HERE to read the full story.

Celtics guard Rajon Rondo dropped by Jimmy Kimmel Live for a segment called Fun With Fans:

ESPN's Ryen Russillo joins Grantland's Bill Simmons for an emergency podcast to talk about the Celtics/Clippers trade rumors and Doc Rivers' future.

Hop HERE to listen to the podcast.

Even if a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers falls through, can Doc Rivers save face in Boston?

After talks between the Celtics and Clippers initially heated up this afternoon, things have since cooled over the potential inclusion of Eric Bledsoe in any deal that would send Kevin Garnett and Doc Rivers out west:

The initial talks with Boston, sources said Saturday, were focused on the Clippers satisfying Boston's compensation demands to let Rivers out of his lucrative contract and corresponding trade proposals aimed at bringing Garnett to town with Rivers. The Clippers, sources said, are willing to surrender cash and multiple draft picks to secure Rivers' services and offer young center DeAndre Jordan as the primary piece in a deal in exchange for Garnett. But sources said Saturday the Clippers, at present, are refusing to include the highly coveted Bledsoe with Jordan in the same trade in hopes of keeping Bledsoe for a separate transaction.

* Rapid reaction: The Celtics have no reason to let Rivers out of his contract without securing a ransom for his services. Getting back Jordan and a late-round pick simply isn't enough to part with both Rivers and Garnett (the Clippers need to put Bledsoe back into play and/or help Boston remove some of its other salary cap clog). Boston clearly feels it's in a power position here, able to retain Rivers (or at least his rights if he ultimately elects to spend next season in the broadcast booth) if no deal can be struck with Los Angeles. From the beginning, it appeared tough to satisfy both sides with so many moving parts. Now it appears the deal will go into a holding pattern and we'll have to see if the Clippers move forward with pursuing a free-agent coach like Lionel Hollins or Brian Shaw. Even after this flirtation with Los Angeles, there's no reason to believe Rivers wouldn't still be welcome in Boston, his offseason silence allowing him to downplay all of this hoopla if he elects to return for a 10th season on the bench.

The Los Angeles Clippers believe they have the trade assets to reunite Doc Rivers, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in L.A. if those prominent members of the Boston Celtics all prove open or able to leave the perennial Eastern Conference power, according to sources close to the process.

In the wake of ESPN.com's report earlier this week that Rivers and the Clippers have mutual interest in the event the Celtics' coach parts ways with Boston, sources say the Clippers would likewise try to acquire Garnett or Pierce -- or preferably both -- if Rivers indeed became available.

CLICK HERE to read the full news story.

CLICK HERE to read Chris Forsberg's column on how the Celtics are stuck at a crossroads, but might be able to facilitate a faster rebuild by acquiring some young talent from the Clippers in exchange for Rivers & Co.

The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers appear to have cleared one major hurdle on a potential path to allowing Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett to head west together.

Yahoo! Sports reported Saturday that Kevin Garnett would be willing to waive his no-trade clause if the Celtics and Clippers can finalize a package deal involving Rivers.

Sources told ESPN earlier this week that Rivers is highly intrigued by the idea of coaching the Clippers should he not return to Boston for a 10th season on the bench. By utilizing Rivers as a trade asset and working a separate deal for Garnett, Boston could land a combination of young talent, expiring contracts, and future draft picks to aid its own overdue roster overhaul.

The Celtics and Clippers engaged in trade talks at February's deadline, including a potential swap that would have saw Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan come to Boston in exchange for Garnett. According to the Yahoo! report, the final hurdle of this potential deal would be the Clippers including Bledsoe in a package that could also include two first-round draft picks and Jordan.

Boston sports radio WEEI (93.7 FM) debuted its Celtics Summer Cooler program on Saturday, devoting two glorious hours to offseason basketball chatter. Check out the podcasts below for some entertaining Celtics talk, including interviews with Grantland's Bill Simmons and the Boston Herald's Steve Bulpett:


* Summer Cooler - Hour 1 (with Simmons interview)
* Summer Cooler - Hour 2 (with Bulpett interview)

If the Los Angeles Clippers desire to reel in Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith says the Boston Celtics should shoot for the moon and try to land Blake Griffin as part of compensation (even if the Clippers will desire to move DeAndre Jordan instead):

Our friends at ESPN Los Angeles take a look at the difficulty in putting all the pieces together if the Clippers desired to land not only coach Doc Rivers, but Celtics veterans Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett:

So if the Clippers wanted to trade for Garnett and Pierce, who make $28,356,610, in one big mega-trade before July 1, they would need to send out at least $22,605,288. Let's start with DeAndre Jordan, who makes $10,532,977, and Caron Butler, who makes $8,000,000. Those two add up to $18,532,977. The Clippers would still need another $4,072,311 under this scenario, which would not be met even if they included Eric Bledsoe and Willie Green, who combine to make less than that. They could make it work if they included Jamal Crawford, but sources say Crawford would not be included in the deal. That means the Clippers would go to the second option, which would be doing two separate trades. In this scenario, according to Coon, they get 150 percent or $5 million rather than just the 125 percent they get by acquiring them together. So they could trade Jordan and Bledsoe for Pierce and then Butler for Garnett. These two separate but parallel trades would work from a numbers standpoint.

If they wait until after July 1, they need to send out $22,133,656 if they wanted to trade for both together. Jordan and Butler add up to $18,986,550, so they'd need another $3,147,106. Bledsoe and Green would add up to enough. Separately they'd need to send out $7,433,735 for Garnett, and Butler is still enough there, and they'd need to send out $10,155,556 for Pierce, and Jordan is enough but the Clippers would likely be forced to add Bledsoe as well. Either way you cut it, the Clippers can certainly make a deal under the new CBA this summer that would bring Garnett and Pierce to Los Angeles for a package that would include Jordan, Butler, Bledsoe and possibly Green.

Hop HERE to read the full story.

* Bonus Link: The Los Angeles Times quotes NBA executives who said the idea of a Celtics-Clippers swap was "far-fetched" given Boston's perceived demands.

Siena forward O.D. Anosike is not projected to be selected in this month's NBA Draft. He joins a handful of players with such billing that the Boston Celtics have taken a look at during recent pre-draft workouts (the Celtics currently own only one pick, No. 16 overall). Anosike, who twice led the country in rebounding, detailed his workout for the Albany Times Union, offering a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes, and noted that he hopes to latch on with a NBA team for summer league. The Celtics certainly have a need for rebounding.

From the Times Union:

First, the Celtics measured Anosike's height (6-foot-7 without shoes), weight (243 pounds) and wingspan (7-foot-4), along with his body fat and vertical leap. He and the other players worked out for about an hour, went through shooting drills and then did conditioning.

Anosike was accompanied by better-known prospects such as Michigan's Tim Hardaway Jr. and Georgia Tech's Glen Rice Jr., both sons of former NBA stars. Anosike went one-on-one against Illinois State's Jackie Carmichael, a 6-foot-9 forward who averaged 17.4 points and 9.3 rebounds per game last season.

"He's a really good player," Anosike said. "He's really physical. He's got a skill set with him. I just went in there and did my best. I think I got the best of him."

Anosike and the others were watched by Celtics assistant coaches, scouts and director of player personnel Austin Ainge. Head coach Doc Rivers wasn't present at the workout because he was traveling back from an NBA meeting, according to an ESPN report. Anosike said he didn't think Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, Austin's father, was in attendance, either.

Hop HERE to read the full story. Or HERE for more on Anosike's NBA quest.