Will this year be the last for Doc Rivers?

Earlier today, Steve Bulpett wrote a story about Doc Rivers contemplating retirement at the end of the season.  Now, the Globe has Rivers’ side of the story.  While he doesn’t deny thinking about retirement, he says it’s nothing new.

There has been growing speculation that the Celtics players are beginning to tune Rivers out and he admitted it has been a trying year. But he also told the Globe that there has not been any significant shift in thinking recently.

“Like I said (before), it’s a non story. Nothing new,” he said. “Same as after the last three seasons. I have not read the (Herald) story. I will talk to everyone tonight.”

Doc’s latest comments echo the reporting of Gary Tanguay, who isn’t always reliable.  Tanguay quoted an NBA source as saying the retirement talk is “much ado about nothing . . . Doc [reflects on his future] every year, and it’s driven by his family.”

Still, Bulpett quoted Rivers as saying his urge to get out of coaching becomes “stronger and stronger” each year, and Doc didn’t deny speculation of his retirement in Bulpett’s story either.

“Part of it is true,” he said. “Every year I sit down in the middle of the summer and I have a family discussion. We talk about what we want to do. That’s nothing new, but every year it gets stronger and stronger. And I think people are making some common sense reads. I’ve got three seniors next year, two in college and one in high school. That’s important to me. We’re all family men. We all have kids.

“Every year you’ve got to weigh what’s best for your kids. That’s just the way it is. But, I don’t get into it now. I don’t talk about it. I’ve never told anyone one way or the other, and that’s how it’s always been.”

So is Rivers leaving?  Not necessarily, and definitely not for sure.  But I wouldn’t entirely rule it out, either.