But there was no truth to any of them, and Rivers silenced everyone by agreeing to a five-year, $35 million extension shortly after the conclusion of the Celtics' playoff run.
Rivers clarified Wednesday that there was never any doubt. If he coached at all, he knew it would be in Boston.
"During the playoffs, Danny [Ainge] and I had been talking a lot," he said. "I was in the position to be a free agent, I guess, and I thought about a lot of stuff. I kept thinking — you can go other places, but this is the place I want to be."
After coaching in Orlando for four seasons and a wee bit of a fifth, Rivers took over the Celtics' job in 2004 and has held it down for the last seven years, now going on 12. He's the third-winningest coach in franchise history, behind only Red Auerbach and Tommy Heinsohn. His all-time record with the C's is 336-238.
He wants to add to that record.
"I want to be here because of what I am," Rivers said. "I'm a Celtic. I believe in this organization. I love the team, the brand.
"That doesn't guarantee a future for us as far as who we are, as far as players. Kevin [Garnett] and Paul [Pierce] and Ray [Allen] are getting older. But at the end of the day, I still coach the Celtics.
"That's why I took the job originally, when we didn't have them, and it's why I stayed here. The only other decision for me was not coaching."
