Danny Ainge says Doc Rivers will return next season as Celtic Coach

Cross Doc Rivers off the list. Danny Ainge told reporters at the Chicago Draft Combine Thursday that Rivers isn't going anywhere. Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe had it first.

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

— gary washburn (@GwashNBAGlobe) May 16, 2013

"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."

The Nets would like to have stolen Rivers, who's been in Boston for 10 years, but his contract has another two years to run and even if Rivers had wanted to join Brooklyn, the Nets would have to pay compensation, in the form of cash, draft picks and/or players.

That would seem to leave Brian Shaw, Lionel Hollins and Scott Skiles, not necessarily in that order, at or near the top of Billy King's secret list. A league source said Wednesday the Nets had not reached out ot anyone but Phil Jackson, who turned them down.

• Ainge: Rivers will return next season - Gary Washburn - Boston Globe
• Doc Rivers Returning to Celtics - Josh Newman - SNY Nets
• Rivers staying in Boston, won't coach Nets - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
• Doc Rivers out as Nets coaching candidate - Tim Bontemps - New York Post