LA Clippers Reportedly Call Off Doc Rivers/Kevin Garnett Deal

According to multiple published reports, the LA Clippers have walked away from the negotiating table after the Boston Celtics asked for way too much in return for Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett. Per ESPN and the LA Times: “The teams have no plans to speak again, the sources said, and the Clippers are preparing to move on and hire a coach this week. The talks broke down Tuesday morning when the Clippers ‘refused to budge’ on Boston’s latest proposal that asked for DeAndre Jordan, straight up for Garnett, and two first-round draft picks as compensation for allowing Rivers out of the final three-years and $21 million of his contract. The Clippers will now go forward with second interviews of Byron Scott on Tuesday and Brian Shaw on Wednesday, where each will meet with owner Donald Sterling. Lionel Hollins had a two-day interview in which he met with Sterling last week. Clippers sources say the team expects to hire a coach by the end of this week, or early next week. […] The final sticking point that stopped the deal was Boston president of basketball operations Danny Ainge insisting that Clippers vice president of basketball operations Gary Sacks give the Celtics two No. 1 draft picks along with DeAndre Jordan, said league officials who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Sacks was prepared to trade Jordan and one No. 1 pick for the rights to negotiate with Rivers and to acquire Garnett, but refused to add another first-round pick, the executives said. The Clippers and Celtics started talks again early Tuesday morning, knowing that Eric Bledsoe wasn’t going to be in the deal, but were still unable to make a connection.”