The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers have been working for days on a deal for Doc Rivers, Kevin Garnett and DeAndre Jordan and while talks appeared to break down, they now appear to be back on and that has the NBA asking some questions.
According to ESPN.com, the two teams are working again on an agreement to send forward Kevin Garnett and coach Doc Rivers to Los Angeles, but the biggest obstacle in the deal now is the league itself. The report says that the league has questions about the deal and about them being connected, as coaches can't be formally traded and that they cannot be moved with side deals attached. The Clippers and Celtics will have to show the league that they are legitimately separate deals.
The report says that Rives still has three years and $21 million on his contract and the first deal would have the teams swap Garnett and DeAndre Jordan, while the second deal would be for two first round picks for Rivers. Garnett would need to waive his no trade clause in the deal and now the biggest hurdle is the league stepping in to swap it. The talks have been going on for days and at first it was slowed by the asking for Eric Bledsoe in the deal. The two teams now have been figuring ways around the issues and could try alternative deals.
The Clippers have been looking for a new coach and are also looking at Brian Shaw and defending on what happens, they could hire him. Clippers owner Donald Sterling met Wednesday night and discussed all the potential deals. The Clippers feel that getting a deal in place will ensure them of keeping Chris Paul long term, as he is set to be a free agent July 1. The league approval now is the biggest hurdle in the deals.
Jordan said he understand the business and at one point it appeared that the Clippers were ready to walk away, while the Celtics wanted to the team to take the contract of Jason Terry or someone else. The team also wants to sign Paul Pierce to join the other two depending on what happens with the deal, as Pierce has a $15.3 million option for the 2013-14 season or a $5 million buyout,
"I've been with the Clippers since I was 19," Jordan said. "That's all I know. I love L.A., I love the Clippers, I love my teammates and everything we stand for. [But if he's traded] I'll still be doing the thing I love, and that's playing basketball every day. No matter what team I'm on, I'll still be having a great time."