Steve Bulpett reports:

ATLANTA - Doc Rivers will have an opportunity to coach the Celtics [team stats] next year and beyond. According to league sources, the club is prepared to offer Rivers a contract extension following this season.\

Rivers’ original four-year deal ends after next season, and he has stated he didn’t want to be in a lame duck position, though he did stop short of saying he would leave if the team didn’t extend his contract.

Now it appears that issue will be moot. While the salary figures and length of the new contract have yet to be discussed, both sides seem willing and eager to get something done.

The article concludes with this line from Ainge:

“A coach has to do what’s best for the team, and what Doc has done has made our players better,� he said. “But we all still have a lot of work to do.�