Evening News: NBA won’t approve Celtics-Clippers trade; Phil Jackson assumes role with Lakers

Hello and welcome to the Evening News.

Before you watch Game 7, catch up on the latest from around the NBA. What’s happening today?

Here’s the latest from around the league:

NBA won’t approve Celtics – Clippers trade

According to Ken Berger of CBS Sports, the NBA informed the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers several days ago that their proposed trade involving Doc Rivers and Kevin Garnett would not be approved by the league. 

Under league rules, teams are not allowed to package coaches and players in the same trade together. Even if the trade was broken up into two separate deals, the league would not approve them because it is clear that all of the players and picks were originally constructed under one deal.

Commisioner David Stern confirmed that a trade involving both coaches and players would not be approved on a radio show on Thursday:

“The teams are aware that the collective bargaining agreement doesn’t authorize trades involving coaches’ contracts.”

Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Los Angeles plans to prioritize in acquiring Rivers and then will attempt to trade for Garnett later. However, the Clippers are unwilling to relent a first round pick in exchange for Rivers.

Clippers want to set aside Garnett deal for now, but are showing no willingess to offer Celtics a draft pick for Doc Rivers, sources tell Y!

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 20, 2013

If the Celtics can figure out a way to sidestep the NBA’s CBA and send Rivers to the Clippers, the teams could then revisit a Garnett for DeAndre Jordan trade (potentially involving a third team) in the coming weeks.

Jackson assumes informal role with Lakers

Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports that Phil Jackson has been in contact with Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak recently about LA’s roster and plans to continue to consult with Kupchak in the future. 

“We discussed some things, me and Mitch in the past couple of weeks, bouncing things around,” Jackson said. “That’s been something that has happened. It’s not something I expect them to rely on me for information, but I’m there to offer it. Not so much advice. Explaining the program that they’re headed toward down the road and resolutions they had in the past and trying to clean that up and talk about some of the things in the future that are different ways in which they can resolve the issues. They asked if I can be of assistance. I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll help in whatever area you need to have help.'”

Because Jackson is engaged to Lakers executive vice president of basketball operations Jeannie Buss, he can visit the Lakers’ practice facility without it being uncomfortable.

“He’s over at the facility every now and then for obvious reasons,” Kupchak said. “I’ll see him then. We have reason to talk by phone every now and then. … Obviously his accomplishments here, and relationship with Jeanie, create an environment that we’re susceptible to dialogue with a basketball person like Phil. If he was working for another team, it wouldn’t be the same.”

Jackson has turned down several overtures to join other teams’ front offices. With the exception of a recently accepted minor advising role with Detroit, Jackson has been out of the NBA since retiring in 2011. Kupchak, however, has not ruled out the possibility of Jackson taking a more formal role in the Lakers’ front office eventually:

“I’m not sure why somebody like Phil isn’t working for an NBA club right now,” Kupchak said. “He has so much to offer to any franchise. Even though he doesn’t have an official role with us, he’s a consultant of sorts. Jeanie, I’m sure, talks to him every night about basketball. It may not be official, but there is an existing relationship.”