One thing Rivers never had to worry about, though, was whether Keyon Dooling would be ready to do whatever he was asked.
Dooling's energy and professionalism attracted admiration throughout the Celtics locker room after he returned from injury early in the season. The trade that brought him to Boston, along with a future second-round pick, prior to last season turned out to be an important move by president of basketball operations Danny Ainge to bolster the Celtics' bench.
Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley credited Dooling with showing them how to conduct themselves as professionals, even when Dooling's playing time decreased significantly when Ray Allen and Bradley were both healthy.
The two-year contract Dooling signed with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2010 expires at the end of June. The unrestricted free agent could find suitors in need of a reliable backup guard, and one of them could be the Celtics. It looks increasingly unlikely that Allen will return, which could leave the Celtics with three main guards — Rondo, Bradley and E'Twaun Moore — under the age of 26. Dooling's experience could be invaluable in such a group.
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