The Clippers finally get their coach after a ton of back and forth. The Clippers agreed to send a 2015 1st round pick to the Celtics as compensation for hiring Doc Rivers.
Rivers then agreed to a three-year $21 million deal, subject to the NBA’s approval. Jackie MacMullan of ESPN.com is reporting that any deal between the Celtics and Clippers for Kevin Garnett would not be approved by the league.
League and teams sources also confirmed that for now, any deal involving Garnett and the Clippers is on hold in light of commissioner David Stern’s objections to the appearance that the KG deal (for DeAndre Jordan) and Rivers were related.
One source with knowledge of the NBA’s thinking told ESPN.com that the league does not intend to change its stance as expressed by Stern in multiple radio interviews Thursday, meaning that the league would view any subsequent trade agreement between the Celtics and Clippers involving Garnett to be part of the Rivers deal and thus in violation of league rules.
Multiple reports suggest that the Rivers to Clippers deal comes with the understanding that no more deals will be made between the two teams.
Garnett has two years remaining on his deal with the Celtics, and he will either choose to join the rebuilding process, accept a trade to a more suitable destination, or simply retire.
For now though, Kevin Garnett will not be a Clipper.