HoopsHype.com Rumors

Celtic assistant general manager and team counsel Mike Zarren turned down an offer to become the general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, two league sources told the Herald yesterday. The job eventually went to Sam Hinkie. “I don’t know all the details, but I know there was strong interest in Mike from Philly,” said Ainge. “I don’t know why (he turned it down). You’ll have to ask him.” Boston Herald

Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, Mike Zarren, Sam Hinkie 

The Celtics have to decide by June 30 whether to buy out Pierce’s contract at $5 million. Ainge said the sides have not had discussions, but an NBA source said Pierce’s family is already beginning to prepare for relocation from Boston, assuming that the Celtics will execute the buyout or trade his expiring contract in the offseason. Boston Globe

Boston Celtics, Paul Pierce, Danny Ainge 

Gary Washburn: FWIW, #celtics will have just one summer league entry, participating at Orlando Summer League. Last season, BOS had teams in ORL and Vegas Twitter @GwashNBAGlobe

Boston Celtics, Summer League 

"Yeah (he'll be back), Doc and I are talking about our team next year," Ainge said. "(No suspense) from my perspective. We've got a great coach. We've got a coach everybody would love to have and he's got three years left on his contract and I think Doc likes Boston, too.Coaches get tired, though. It's a hard job. Boston Globe

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Danny Ainge, Coaching 

With Rivers back, the Celtics can now begin formulating their roster for next season. Ainge said he has not talked with Kevin Garnett, who will turn 37 on Sunday and is considering retirement. "I don't think I have the answers that Kevin will want," Ainge said. "So I gotta figure there's a lot to do (before we talk) and I think there's a lot of questions in Kevin's mind as there is every year, to determine whether he's coming back. I'm not ready to answer everything that he will want to know." Boston Globe

Boston Celtics, Danny Ainge, Kevin Garnett 

Gary Washburn: #celtics interviewed draft prospects Mason Plumlee, Cody Zeller, Rudy Gobert, Glen Rice Jr. and Victor Oladipo on Wednesday night Twitter @GwashNBAGlobe

Boston Celtics, Draft, Glen Rice, Mason Plumlee, Cody Zeller, Rudy Gobert, Victor Oladipo, Glen Rice Jr 

Gary Washburn: Danny Ainge confirms that Doc Rivers is returning next season as #celtics coach. "We've got a coach everybody would love to have." Twitter @GwashNBAGlobe

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Danny Ainge, Coaching 

David 'Dubi' Pick: Former NC-State swingman Courtney Fells, now competing in Israeli playoffs, has committed to play for Boston Celtics in NBA Summer League. Twitter @IAmDPick

Boston Celtics, Free Agency, Summer League, Courtney Fells 

David 'Dubi' Pick: Ex-Detroit Mercy PF-C Eli Holman, who registers double-double stats in Israel, will be tested by the Boston Celtics in Orlando SL. Twitter @IAmDPick

Boston Celtics, Free Agency, Summer League, Eli Holman 

Chris Mannix: Cody Zeller says he interviewed with Toronto, Portland, Houston and Boston. Denies wingspan is 6-8. Says closer to 6-11. Twitter @ChrisMannixSI

Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors, Draft, Cody Zeller 

Charles F. Gardner: Rice said he had interviews with Golden State, Milwaukee, Boston, Philadelphia and San Antonio. Twitter @cf_gardner

Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, Draft, Glen Rice Jr 

Alex Len arrived in Chicago on Wednesday night night and promptly met with four teams — the Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics. The Jazz, Kings and T-Wolves all hold lottery picks and are three of 10 such teams scheduled to meet with the 7-foot-1 Len this week. Several others outside the lottery, like the Celtics, have also lined up interviews. Washington Post

Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Sacramento Kings, Utah Jazz, Draft, Alex Len 

Gary Washburn: Among those players the #celtics interviewed at pre-draft camp Wednesday night was former Georgia Tech swingman Glen Rice Jr. Twitter @GwashNBAGlobe

Boston Celtics, Draft, Glen Rice Jr 

Gary Washburn: Rice on #celtics interview: "It was good. We talked basketball. We talked on the court, off the court. I let them know I was ready to work." Twitter @GwashNBAGlobe

Boston Celtics, Draft, Glen Rice Jr 

Yannis Koutroupis: Glen Rice Jr. feels like he's helping ease team's concerns about his off-the-court issues at Georgia Tech. Says they're letting him explain. Twitter @YannisHW

Boston Celtics, Draft, Glen Rice Jr 

Though Ainge regularly talks with Rivers, he said he has not had contact with either Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett, whose futures figure prominently in his immediate plans. Boston Herald

Boston Celtics, Paul Pierce, Trade, Doc Rivers, Kevin Garnett 

Doc Rivers is off on a golf course somewhere, pondering his future with the Celtics and asking for time to think. But that hasn’t stopped the Celtics coach from taking regular part in the team’s plans for next year, according to president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. “I talk to Doc all of the time, and we’re talking about our plans for next year,” said Ainge, who left yesterday for Chicago to attend the NBA’s pre-draft combine. Boston Herald

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Danny Ainge, Coaching 

Though Ainge is unsure of whether Rivers will make an appearance in Chicago, he continues to move forward as the coach will remain in place. “I only expect Doc to say something to me if he is not coming back,” Ainge said. Boston Herald

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Danny Ainge, Coaching 

Those close to Paul Pierce believe he will not return to the Boston Celtics next season, according to CSNNE sideline reporter Greg Dickerson – and Pierce might think his days in green are done, as well. "I don't think they will (bring Pierce back)," Dickerson said Sunday on CSNNE. "And I know that the company that Paul Pierce hangs around in, they do not believe – and I don't think Paul Pierce believes – that he is going to be brought back next year at $15 million. I know for a fact that people around Paul Pierce have pretty much resigned themselves to the fact that he's played his final game in a Boston Celtics uniform. Again, Paul wants to stay – obviously for $15 million, but he wants to finish his career in a Celtics uniform." Booth Newspapers

Boston Celtics, Paul Pierce 

Clearly Wilcox doesn’t want to leave town this way. “I mean, yeah, I would love to come back,” Wilcox said. “I would love to come back and be a part of this, because I just feel like I didn’t. . . . I wasn’t me, you know what I mean? So I want to come back healthy. I want to come back and be healthy right from the start of training camp and get a preseason in and find my way from the beginning. “I think me being hurt and just rushing everything kind of put a toll on me and had me sitting when I could have been playing. I mean, I’ve just got to go back to the drawing board, get healthy and get ready.” Boston Herald

Boston Celtics, Chris Wilcox