Doc Rivers

The Nets asked to speak with Doc Rivers about their coaching vacancy but were denied by Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, according to an ESPN report by Jackie MacMullan.

Ainge has said that he expects Rivers to return to Boston next season. Rivers has three years and $21 million remaining on his contract as part of an extension he signed two years ago this week.

“Doc has told me he’s coming back,” Ainge told ESPN Thursday. “I talk to him almost every day about our team and what we are going to do moving forward.”

Ainge would not comment directly about the Nets’ interest, but he acknowledged Rivers is highly regarded around the league.

“We know people want Doc,” Ainge told ESPN. “We know people want [Rajon Rondo] and [Kevin Garnett] and Paul Pierce. They are the Celtics. They’ve all had great success.”

Jared Sullinger poses with Most Improved Pupil Tatiana Morales at the Celtics’ 22nd annual “Stay in School” celebration.

As the Celtics honored hundreds of middle school students for their perfect attendance at Thursday’s 22nd annual “Stay in School” celebration at Northeastern University, Jared Sullinger shared the lessons he’s learned since undergoing the surgery to repair a lumbar disk that ended his rookie season in February.

“In life, it’s kind of different,” said the recently turned 21-year-old power forward. “Teachers give you a lesson and then the test whereas in life you get the test and then the lesson. I’ve learned that through this situation right now. I’m getting a test of my patience, my discipline … so I’m just learning the lesson now.”

The lesson in patience should be completed by the end of the summer. By his calculations, Sullinger’s 50 percent and on target to return fully healthy before training camp.

“It’s a 10-week process,” said Sullinger. “Every two weeks, we’re going to bump it up 10 percent. By September or October, I’ll be 100 percent to go full. About two weeks ago, I met with the doctor. He said it’s a full go. Our medical staff — [strength and conditioning coach] Bryan Doo, [head trainer] Ed Lacerte — we’re just taking it slow. You don’t want to go right into the pounding, so every two weeks it’s just 10 percent bumping it up.”

When he does finally play for the first time since aggravating the injury four minutes into a game against the Kings on Jan. 30, he’s been told the medical issue that’s plagued him since his Ohio State days will be gone.

“Everybody says back with a question mark,” said Sullinger, “but you might as well put an X through that, because I had surgery, I’m taking my time and getting back right. There won’t be a reoccurring injury.”

As a precaution, Sullinger will not participate in the Orlando summer league this July, but at least the long months of sitting around watching movies, playing video games and analyzing clips of his game are over.

“It was very tough,” he said. “I had to find myself, find other things to do, kill time. I really wasn’t mobile. All I could was walk. But now, getting back in the swing of things, I have 10 weeks to get back to where I was or even better.”

Throughout the process, Sullinger and Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, who tore his right ACL three games prior to Sullinger’s season-ending injury, have relied on each other for support.

“At first, it was lonely,” said Sullinger, “but then seeing Rondo going through the same thing — maybe 10 times worse — it’s not lonely, because I have someone I can lean on and support me through my injury. We talk off and on, just trying to get each other’s mind right. Situations like this, if you go through it alone, it’s kind of tough, but when you have somebody by your side that’s trying to get back where they were as well, it really helps you out.”

While Sullinger admits he sees Celtics coach Doc Rivers around the practice facility every so often, he hasn’t spoken to either Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett, so he’s in the same boat as everybody else wondering what direction the organization is headed in 2013-14.

“I’m the same way,” he said. “I’m not the GM. I’m not Danny Ainge, so I don’t know anything that’s happening, but regardless of whatever they do, I support them either way.

“Honestly, you can’t really always talk basketball. Sometimes, you just have to let people breathe, so that’s what I’ve been doing with Doc, Kevin and Paul, letting them be themselves. After a while, talking about basketball every friggin’ day is really tough. I experience it all the time. I stop myself, because at some point I need a mental break.”

Another lesson learned at the “Stay in School” event, which also recognized outstanding work in writing and the arts. Now, if only the C’s can get perfect attendance from Sullinger next season.

Celtics guard Terrence Williams was arrested Sunday for allegedly brandishing a firearm and threatening the mother of his 10-year-old son, according to multiple reports out of Washington.

Doc Rivers

It’s been two weeks since Celtics coach Doc Rivers delivered his cryptic press conference after the Game 6 loss to the Knicks, when he hinted at the possibility of foregoing the remaining three years on his contract.

Meanwhile, Stephen A. Smith speculated Rivers could join Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in a trade to the Clippers — a notion C’s president Danny Ainge dismissed, assuring Celtics nation: “I think Doc will be coaching the Boston Celtics.”

On Thursday, it appears we can remove the “I think” from that statement. Rivers will be coaching the Boston Celtics, Ainge told The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn.

So, what does that mean for the 2013-14 edition?

For starters, the Celtics will have one of the game’s great coaches on their bench. Rivers is on USA Basketball’s short list for good reason. If Seattle were granted a franchise tomorrow and had its pick of the litter, Rivers, former assistant Tom Thibodeau and Gregg Popovich would likely be the top three choices to lead a team into the future.

Of course, the future is where things get complicated. Rivers suggested that he, Pierce and KG would discuss their plans together soon after the season, but it’s unclear if that meeting has taken place. At the very least, the coach’s return is a sign that both veterans could also be back, since the opposite would have been true had Rivers left.

His return must also be welcome news to Rajon Rondo. Although the two have had their differences since Rondo entered the league in 2006, their minds have essentially melded over the years, and Doc’s departure only would have further complicated his All-Star point guard’s recovering from ACL surgery.

Rivers also commands the respect of high-profile guys like Jason Terry, who came to the Celtics in part because of the coach. “When Doc calls, you listen,” Terry said upon arriving in Boston. The guy takes former players out to dinner when they come to Boston and gives them cookies before they leave town (except Ray Allen, probably). That’s important to note as the C’s attempt to lure name free agents for bargain prices this summer.

Obviously, Rivers isn’t without flaws, but they’ll take a coach whose Achilles heel is favoring veterans (which made the Jordan Crawford over Courtney Lee move against the Knicks so strange). It’ll also be on him to reconstruct an offense that allows Rondo, Jeff Green and others who thrived in the point guard’s absence to coexist.

And it’s not as though Doc hasn’t molded talent, which will be his primary responsibility should Pierce and Garnett not return. Rondo, Tony Allen, Avery Bradley, Glen Davis, Al Jefferson, Kendrick Perkins, Leon Powe and Delonte West all developed under Doc’s guidance, and Jared Sullinger seems a likely candidate to join that list.

When discussing Bill Belichick, people always ask: Name a guy who’s gotten markedly better after leaving? The same could be said of Rivers, which is why the first step of this Celtics offseason is a positive one.