And he was undecided June 24 when he spoke to the media after the Celtics drafted Texas guard Avery Bradley.
But yesterday Rivers appeared refreshed, prepared to make one final run with the core of the team that upset the Cavaliers and Magic to win the Eastern Conference championship.
The news of Rivers’s return was rivaled by the apparent intention not to overhaul the team this summer. Instead president Danny Ainge will use free agency to attempt to retool the roster and prepare for another title run.
The team Rivers is staying on to coach is expected to be very similar to the 2009-10 unit that, two weeks ago, came within a better-executed fourth quarter of winning the NBA title.
“This group’’ that Rivers refers to in his text message also includes guard Tony Allen and potentially another free agent big man to replace the retiring Rasheed Wallace. Center Kendrick Perkins is also part of that core, and likely will rejoin the Celtics early in 2011 after surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Ainge knew of Rivers’s intentions a few days ago, and now must prepare an offseason agenda to bring the band back together, which will be a challenge considering Pierce opted out of his contract to become a free agent late Tuesday night, joining unrestricted free agents Tony Allen and Ray Allen.
From the start, it was highly unlikely Rivers was going to return to a rebuilding project. He would much rather watch his son Austin play his senior season at Winter Park (Fla.) High School than coach a bunch of upstarts. So Ainge’s offseason plan has been charted.
The Celtics are going for another run or two because neither Pierce nor Ray Allen would return to Boston on a one-year deal. Although Pierce opted out of his contract, he is more likely to return to Boston with Rivers as coach.
And don’t be stunned if Wallace reconsiders his retirement stance now that Rivers has made his decision.
