Your Morning Dump… There’s a 10 percent chance Doc leaves?

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

There is still the possibility — stress possibility — Rivers will choose to walk away from his contract to coach the Celts. A source close to the situation, however, insists it remains far more likely he will return.

The word as expressed to us is that it is “90-10” that Rivers will continue on a contract that has three years and $21 million remaining. If he leaves the Celtics, it will not be with the intent of coaching another team.

Some involved winced when Danny Ainge told reporters last week that Rivers was definitely coming back to coach the 2013-14 Celts, knowing the coach had yet to make his final call. But Ainge said at the time that it was the indication he was getting in every conversation with his coach as they discussed what had happened with the C’s and how they evaluate the players on hand as they proceed into the offseason.

Yet the Rivers question continues, and clearly this has become, at least to some degree, a distraction for a team that is about to make some heavy and expensive decisions about its future. It will go away only when Rivers, who flew to Boston yesterday, steps up and lets his intentions be known.

Herald

As if the dreary New England weather forecast for the holiday weekend isn’t depressing enough, now we have to read about Doc Rivers’ uncertainty about returning to Boston.

I’m going to chalk this up to coaching burnout. Phil Jackson pulled this stuff after nearly every season with the Lakers.

If Doc needs a break from the job, I’ll understand. But if he’s bailing because he doesn’t want to stick around for a rebuild, I’ll be pissed.  That makes him a quitter.

In other news, Rajon Rondo appeared on the E! show Fashion Police:

It’s a mildly entertaining segment, if you can stomach looking at Joan Rivers’ mangled face.

The rest of the links:

ESPN Boston – Report card: C’s brain trust | Mass Live – C’s to work out Steven Adams… |