Doc Rivers Trade: Could NBA Veto Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Clippers Deal?
By Josh Hill
The Doc Rivers Trade that has been discussed and fantasized about for the better part of the last two weeks has seemingly hit it’s apex. Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that a deal has been agreed upon that sends Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers west to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for a first-round draft pick. The deal, of course, is contingent on Rivers and the Clippers coming to terms on a new contract but just because all the right pieces fall into place doesn’t mean the NBA will hesitate for a second to veto a deal they deem is not fair.
League office will take a skeptical view of any Rivers transaction, sources say. Will be hard to sell as separate from player discussions.
— Ken Berger (@KBergNBA) June 23, 2013
There were rumors this past week that a deal between these two teams had already been agreed upon but it was rejected by the NBA or that league office was not happy with the deal — or the fat that it was taking away from the NBA Finals coverage. But the problem becomes the extra activity this may end up creating as it’s already well known that the Clippers and Celtics discussed Kevin Garnett as part of this trade and just because he’s been taken out of the equation, doesn’t mean he’s gone from the discussion.
Garnett is under contract for another season with the Celtics but anything can happen, including a buyout of his contract. He’s made it known that he’s not particularly pleased with coming back to Boston if it means he’ll be part of a rebuilding process and if he’s cut loose, his loyalty will lead him to Rivers.
It’s a complicated matter to say the least and the NBA dislikes big words and hard logic to follow, which is why this trade might be agreed upon but not approved by the NBA when everything is said and done. Basically the NBA governs itself and does what it wants so if this trade is something they want to see happen it will and if it’s not, it won’t.