Sports News: Doc Rivers agrees to 5-year extension with Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge was making his way to a makeshift podium for his end-of-the-season news conference when his cell phone rang. Ainge politely excused himself, joking that it was his next head coach.

Only he wasn’t joking. It was Doc Rivers, who had just landed back in Orlando, delivering the good news that after ironing out the final details, he and the Celtics had agreed to a five-year contract extension.

“I think Doc is the best coach in the league, so I think it’s great for us, to have him around,” Ainge said.

The value of the contract is believed to be more than $6 million per year, a source told ESPN The Magazine’s Ric Bucher on Thursday night.

Told Thursday that the sides were talking about a new deal, players were happy.

“If we’re moving forward next year and trying to win a championship, he’s one of the main pieces,” Paul Pierce said.

Rivers, who completed his seventh season in Boston, and the Celtics won a championship in 2008 and came up just short in 2010. The lost in the conference semifinals to the Heat in five games this season.

The 49-year-old Rivers played in the NBA for 13 seasons and has coached for another 12 with Orlando and Boston. He’s got a career mark of 507-406 and was named Coach of the Year in his first season on the job with the Magic.

The return of Rivers means the Celtics will likely keep the core of Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. The archrival Lakers watched Phil Jackson step down after they were eliminated from the playoffs this season.

Chris Forsberg covers the Celtics for ESPNBoston.com.

Follow Chris Forsberg on Twitter: @ESPNForsberg