Clippers Reportedly Seek Ownership Approval on Kevin Garnett/Doc Rivers Deal


The on-again, off-again negotiations between the LA Clippers and Boston Celtics are alive again. And despite the entrenched positions on both sides, according to Yahoo! Sports, the Clips just need their owner Donald Sterling to sign off on the deal that would bring Kevin Garnett and Doc Rivers to Hollywood: “Clippers management planned to huddle with owner Donald Sterling on Wednesday night in Los Angeles to get his approval and move on Thursday to finalize an agreement with the Celtics, sources said. Sterling met with Clippers coaching candidate Brian Shaw, an Indiana Pacers assistant coach, on Wednesday night. The Clippers will send center DeAndre Jordan and two first-round draft picks to the Celtics in the deal, league sources said. Under league rules, Rivers can’t officially be traded, but the draft picks are compensation for a release of the coach’s contractual obligations to the Celtics. Garnett and Jordan can be exchanged for each other. In the eyes of the NBA, these have to be executed as two different deals. The Clippers haven’t pushed (Chris) Paul for a firm commitment to re-sign based on the completion of the deal, but Rivers is accepting the job with a belief that the All-Star point guard has decided to stay and play for him, sources said. ‘Doc is taking the job to coach Chris Paul,’ a league source said. ‘This isn’t happening if Chris planned to leave.’ After the talks stalled on Tuesday morning, Paul communicated to the Clippers that the hiring of Rivers and acquisition of Garnett would be essential to his re-signing as a free agent in July, sources said. Garnett, 37, will waive his no-trade clause to join Rivers with the Clippers. The Clippers have to pay a $3.5 million trade kicker on Jordan’s contract.”