HoopsHype.com Rumors

Ben Rohrbach: Ainge on KG: "I'll touch base w/him some time next week. … He needs time to chill and contemplate his life. I do anticipate KG will play." Twitter @brohrbach

Boston Celtics, Danny Ainge, Kevin Garnett 

Ben Rohrbach: Danny Ainge reiterates Rondo should be ready for training camp. Twitter @brohrbach

Boston Celtics, Danny Ainge, Injuries 

Ben Rohrbach: Ainge on Stephen A.'s rumored Doc feud: "I think I have the best coach in the NBA, and I'm not the least bit tired of hearing his voice." Twitter @brohrbach

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Danny Ainge, Coaching 

Meanwhile, Stephen A. Smith told SNY Nets that he expects Billy King to make his next calls about Doc Rivers and Brian Shaw, both of whom are still under contract. NetsDaily

Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets, Doc Rivers, Coaching, Media, Brian Shaw, Billy King 

Smith, speaking with Darrel Johnson of SNY, listed Rivers' name first when asked about the Nets priorities. "Expect the Boston Celtics to receive a call for permission to talk to Doc Rivers… Expect Brian Shaw of the Indiana Pacers to get a call," and he also mentioned Larry Brown. He then returned to the man who will lead the search. "Billy King will scan the globe. I’ve known him for over 20 years. He’s not going sit idly by." NetsDaily

Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets, Doc Rivers, Coaching, Brian Shaw, Larry Brown, Billy King 

Those who are being considered include Indiana Pacers assistant Brian Shaw, former Nets and Knicks coach Larry Brown, current Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers and former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan. The Nets would need permission from the Celtics to approach Rivers. Wall Street Journal

Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Doc Rivers, Coaching, Brian Shaw, Jerry Sloan, Larry Brown 

Nothing went quite to plan for Lee during his first season in green. Despite starting nearly half the season, Lee never quite carved out a role for himself and shifted back to a bench role late in the year and struggled to get on the court. Lee logged two DNP -- Coach's Decisions over the final three playoff games of the season. "I expected [the first season] to go smooth, I expected to win and be playing late into June," admitted Lee. "Me, personally, my performance -- I was a little bit inconsistent all year; more than I would like to be. I don't want to be at all, but I was." ESPN.com

Boston Celtics, Courtney Lee 

"I wasn't playing like my normal self," admitted Lee. "Roles changed a little bit, they wanted me to focus more on being a defensive player and spot-up shooter. I have a whole summer to get involved in doing a lot of spot-up shots, and working on my role, what it is going to be next year and whatnot. I'll be prepared for that, a lot better than I was this year." ESPN.com

Boston Celtics, Courtney Lee 

If Boston coach Doc Rivers were to part ways with the Celtics, as some have speculated because of the uncertain future of small forward Paul Pierce, then the Nets would have serious interest in him as well. USA Today Sports

Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Doc Rivers, Coaching 

Steve Bulpett: Ainge in on McD in today's Herald: "a guy I've heavily relied on over the last handful of years... excited for him to get an opportunity. Twitter @SteveBHoop

Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, Danny Ainge, Ryan McDonough 

Williams-Webb’s client list includes the N.B.A. players Rudy Gay and Brandon Bass and the N.F.L. player Donte Whitner and the former player James Hardy. She spends her days shopping, meeting with designers and hunting for extra-long pants and size 14 shoes. It is all a long way from her years working in retail in Midtown Manhattan. New York Times

Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Rudy Gay, Brandon Bass 

Marc Stein: If they can't persuade G-Hill to start exec career in desert, Suns expected to choose between Celts' Ryan McDonough & Bucks' Jeff Weltman Twitter @ESPNSteinLine

Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Jeff Weltman, Grant Hill, Ryan McDonough 

And, amid one report that a deal with the Clippers that may include Doc Rivers is being tossed about in NBA circles (he got a good laugh at that one), the club’s president of basketball operations is turning a completely deaf ear as to what the Celts are or should be doing. Boston Herald

Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, Doc Rivers, Coaching 

Ainge seemed a bit surprised yesterday that the Boston future of his coach, who has three years remaining on his contract, is in question. “From all I know, Doc will be back,” Ainge said. Boston Herald

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Coaching 

Ainge was asked during the season whether he thought Rivers was interested in staying on the bench if the Celtics had to go into a heavy reconstruction phase that would likely entail a step back. Ainge said at the time that Rivers had already been discussing with him what might be needed to make that type of period as brief as possible. “We’ve talked about it for the last couple of years,” Ainge said yesterday. “I mean, Doc’s known that this time of transition may come this year, next year, last year, whenever. He’s known there could be a transition in the course of the contract that he’s under.” Boston Herald

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Coaching 

Dunleavy, Jackson, Doc Rivers, Brian Shaw, Larry Brown, Jerry Sloan and maybe dozen other names have been floated in the Nets coaching search. The insider said only Jackson had been contacted and the Nets are still doing background checks only on the other candidates, but reiterated Dunleavy was never considered. NetsDaily

Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Doc Rivers, Phil Jackson, Coaching, Brian Shaw, Mike Dunleavy, Jerry Sloan, Larry Brown 

Boston coach Doc Rivers would interest the Nets should the Celtics agree to let him out of his current contract, the source said. Jerry Sloan, whom star point guard Deron Williams recently endorsed, is a long-shot candidate. ESPN.com

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Jerry Sloan 

With the Celtics in flux, Lee understands that his uniform could also change, though the years and money left on his contract could make a move unlikely. “We’ll see. It will probably be a busy summer,” he said. “In this business you don’t know how it’s going to change, and whether you’re going to be here next year. As far as me in the offseason, I’m just going to continue to work on my game, that’s all.” Boston Herald

Boston Celtics, Courtney Lee 

Since being suspended for Game 4 of the Celtics series for elbowing Jason Terry, Smith has shot 12-for-42 and totaled 44 points in three games. "I don't know. I don't know," Smith said when asked if there is a reason for his shooting slump. "It's just one of those things you go through, and hopefully it comes back soon." Newsday

Boston Celtics, Jason Terry 

Terry can talk his way into and out of most anything, but he didn’t deny that his year was anything but awful. He isn’t done yet, though, especially because he has two years left on the deal that he signed in 2012 when the Celtics had him pegged as an outside shooting replacement for Ray Allen. “I definitely don’t want to retire,” Terry said after the Celtics’ 88-80 season-ending loss to the Knicks at TD Garden Friday night. “I’ve got a lot of basketball left in me.” Boston Globe

Boston Celtics, Jason Terry