Here are some excerpts (courtesy ESPN Boston's Chris Forsberg) of Danny Ainge's interview on WEEI:
Ainge confirmed that Celtics coach Doc
Rivers has not made a decision about his future and Ainge is
encouraging him to take as much time as he needs. Ainge expects a
decision to come as early as next week.
"I don't want him to make a decision too soon," he said. "Doc is one of the great competitors around. [Losing to the Lakers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals] was really tough, but he sees the bright side of what this team accomplished and it's more than he probably thought. Still, it's really hard, a coach invests so much more than the players. ... He left it on the table. He needs some time to get himself right before he even makes the decision."
"If [Rivers] chooses to move on, I will take a long time to make that decision," said Ainge, noting he did have people in the back of his mind who could potentially coach the Green. "I don't think it needs to be done quickly, it needs to be done right. I'll take months if we need to."
"I don't want him to make a decision too soon," he said. "Doc is one of the great competitors around. [Losing to the Lakers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals] was really tough, but he sees the bright side of what this team accomplished and it's more than he probably thought. Still, it's really hard, a coach invests so much more than the players. ... He left it on the table. He needs some time to get himself right before he even makes the decision."
"If [Rivers] chooses to move on, I will take a long time to make that decision," said Ainge, noting he did have people in the back of his mind who could potentially coach the Green. "I don't think it needs to be done quickly, it needs to be done right. I'll take months if we need to."
Months? I was betting Kevin McHale would be hired within 1 hour of Doc's resignation. One thing to keep in mind; the longer a search drags out, the more likely Ainge is to coach himself. Danny also said the Suns have not contacted him regarding their GM position.
Regarding Ray Allen and Paul Pierce:
Ainge suggested bringing back free agent guard Ray
Allen and keeping the nucleus of the Celtics together would be the
ideal path for his team to navigate, particularly after coming up just
short of a world title this past season.
"I think that is the most likely scenario," Ainge said when asked about re-signing the soon-to-be 35-year-old Allen. "We love Ray. We know Ray has basketball left in him. We have to make wise financial decisions knowing that Ray is going to have other options, but also knowing that Ray has basketball left in him. He's a difference maker in us winning or losing."
Ainge said he does not think it's a slam dunk that Paul Pierce declines his option to terminate his contract early. He thinks Pierce could be lured by another team with one final big contract, but suggested that Pierce's status is at the top of his priority list -- alongside Rivers' future -- once the draft is over Thursday.
"I think that is the most likely scenario," Ainge said when asked about re-signing the soon-to-be 35-year-old Allen. "We love Ray. We know Ray has basketball left in him. We have to make wise financial decisions knowing that Ray is going to have other options, but also knowing that Ray has basketball left in him. He's a difference maker in us winning or losing."
Ainge said he does not think it's a slam dunk that Paul Pierce declines his option to terminate his contract early. He thinks Pierce could be lured by another team with one final big contract, but suggested that Pierce's status is at the top of his priority list -- alongside Rivers' future -- once the draft is over Thursday.
My original position on Pierce's contract was that it would be a long shot for him to opt out. Now I'm starting to think it's likely to happen.