Coach Doc Rivers says he’d be open to his son Austin joining Clippers

Doc Rivers was asked a hypothetical question Saturday afternoon about coaching his son Austin.

Funny thing: The scenario might not just exist in theory.

The Clippers are trying to acquire the combo guard if a proposed three-team trade that would send Austin Rivers to the Boston Celtics is completed, according to a league source.

The Celtics are believed to be seeking a draft pick in exchange for Austin Rivers, 22, a former lottery pick who has spent the first 2 1/2 seasons of his NBA career with the New Orleans Pelicans.

One potential sticking point for the Clippers is that they would need to send out roughly $1.8 million in salary to acquire Rivers, meaning they would have to trade at least one player in addition to a draft pick.

One possibility would be reserve point guard Jordan Farmar ($2.1-million salary this season), though his player option for 2015-16 for the same amount and his season-long struggles would seem to make him an unattractive trade piece.

Rivers plays both shooting guard and point guard, which would add flexibility to an underachieving Clippers bench.

Doc Rivers said he would be open to coaching his son, who has averaged 6.8 points and 2.5 assists this season for the Pelicans.

“I think a year ago I probably wouldn’t,” Rivers said of being his son’s coach, “but I think I would for sure. I think this team could handle that. He’s a downhill guard, which is something we need, so I certainly would.”

Scary moment

Veteran referee Joey Crawford had to leave the Clippers’ game against the Dallas Mavericks in the second quarter with a right knee injury, though Doc Rivers said he initially feared Crawford was suffering from a more sinister condition.

“I was worried,” Rivers said after the game. “I mean, he grabbed me and I helped him to the bench and I personally thought it was something else and I was very concerned. It looks like it’s a meniscus, from what I hear.”

Referees Derrick Collins and Leroy Richardson worked the rest of the game.

“It was back to the way I played, with two refs, and I instructed our guys that you can get away with more now,” Rivers joked. “There’s only two guys, only four eyes on you, but I thought they did a heck of a job.”

The remaining referees ejected Dallas Coach Rick Carlisle with 6 minutes 8 seconds left in the third quarter after he received his second technical foul for complaining.

“I disagreed with some calls and it led to that,” Carlisle said. “Whether or not it was really merited is something that has to be discussed in another discussion.”

CLIPPERS VS. MIAMI

When: 12:30 p.m. PST Sunday.

Where: Staples Center.

On the air: TV: Prime Ticket; Radio: 980, 1330.

Records: Heat 15-21; Clippers 25-12.

Record vs. Heat: 1-0.

Update: Miami has lost five of its last six games but remains in eighth place in the Eastern Conference despite a sub-.500 record. The Heat is averaging a paltry 93.8 points per game, ranking 27th in the NBA, despite upticks in production from guard Dwyane Wade (23.0 points a game) and forward-center Chris Bosh (21.1) compared to last season alongside the departed LeBron James.

ben.bolch@latimes.com

Twitter: @latbbolch

Times correspondent Eric Pincus and staff writer Melissa Rohlin contributed to this report.