The Celtics have traded Doc Rivers to the Clippers for a first round pick. The writing was on the wall but this is a bitter sweet moment for the Celtics nonetheless. They are giving up one of the best coaches in the NBA. That being said, if a rebuilding team can trade their coach for a first round draft pick you do it every day and twice on Sunday. Did Doc Rivers help Boston look more attractive to prospective free agents? Yes; however the unattractiveness of the long term roster of the Celtics more than out weighs the attractiveness of Doc. Also, it doesn't make sense to pay someone $7 million a year to coach a team that is destined for the lottery.This is the first of many steps the Celtics must take if they wish to raise banner 18 somewhere down the road.
It looks like Stern isn't going to allow KG to be traded to the Clippers in a separate deal so it will be intriguing to see what the C's do with KG and Pierce as free agency approaches. If I'm sitting in Danny Ainge's seat I would amnesty KG and buyout Pierce. I wouldn't half ass blowing up this roster. I'd prefer 2-5 years in the basement to become relevant again than the nearly 20 years of mediocrity they had between the twilight of Bird's career and Ainge bringing in the Big Three.
