Doc Rivers Says the Boston Celtics Wanted to Unload His Contract and Others

The Boston Celtics have undergone a major, shocking makeover this summer. Their head coach is gone, and so are two of the team’s biggest stars. Doc Rivers says the organization was looking to shed contracts, and decided to blow the whole thing up. (Rivers also pooh-poohed the rumors that he and Rajon Rondo nearly came to blows.) Per the Dan Patrick Show: “They wanted to unload contracts for draft picks,’ Rivers said. ‘I happened to be one of those contracts. This is a direct quote from an owner. This is a win-win for us. … Clearly I had a selfish motive. I had a chance to not rebuild and go to a team that is in a different phase of our franchise. This [was] done together.’ […] ‘It happens with a lot of players,’ Rivers said. ‘But Rondo and I’s relationship is terrific. When the news was consummated, we exchanged texts. We have a good relationship. It’s amazing when you get traded or leave, stories that happened three years ago [come out].'”