What if Pierce Wants Big Money?

[jdpapa3]

Talking all hypothetical situations here.

Say Pierce opts out of his $21m next year.
His agent and him are in your office and you are Danny Ainge.
He says he wants 3 years and 45 million(I actually think this is on the lower end of what he will ask for).

What do you do here? I'm torn on this issue. My heart says you have to give it to him and my brain is split. It would make a good amount of sense to give this core another shot at it. On the other hand, do you want to be paying Pierce $15m per season when he is 34 and 35 years old and you are no longer contending? I think that would put us in a dangerous position because building a contender from mediocrity is a tall task and Danny knocked the previous situation out of the park with the Rondo and Jefferson selections. To count on him to do that again is asking a lot. I wouldn't be in love with 2 entire seasons of just waiting for Pierce and Garnett(and maybe Ray as well) to expire so we can move on.

Should also be said that you CAN NOT just cut ties on a team that has the potential to win it all because the situation comes along so rarely. Question is if we can contend next year. It's a crazy spot for Ainge to be in...these decisions most likely have to be made within the next few weeks.

Sorry that I'm very wishy washy. I wonder how you folks feel.

[libermaniac]

I wonder if he'd take 2 years/$40MM.  That way, after the '11/'12 season, there is nobody left on the books except Rondo, and maybe Perk if they can extend him.

[Who]

No interest in signing Paul Pierce to a contract extension. Cut the cord.

[wedman8]

Lot of people say PP should finish his career as a Celtic. That's ok with me, but not ay any price. It's more important for him retiring as a celt than for the team having him until the end of his career. Don't forget that.

[LB3533]

Franchises shouldn't pay 20 million per year for a player that is not a #1 option.

Paul shouldn't opt out, 21 million is a lot of money for one season.

[jdpapa3]

I wonder if he'd take 2 years/$40MM.  That way, after the '11/'12 season, there is nobody left on the books except Rondo, and maybe Perk if they can extend him.

That's a very good idea that I'm mad I haven't thought of myself. Maybe overload Ray and Pierce for 2 years and give them the same amount as other teams are offering but for one less year. In this case Paul, Ray, and KG would all expire in the same offseason...would be crazy. Also, if the team fails to look ok, they would be easier to move with only 1 or 2 years remaining rather than 3.

[Who]

I love Paul Pierce but I would be absolutely devastated if the club wasted away Rondo's prime by paying Paul Pierce a load of money just to finish out his career here in Boston. Devastated, absolutely devastated.

No contract extension.

[birdwatcher]

I agree. If we all love Paul Pierce, we should let him walk to a contender, make good money and have a better shot at another championship while he can still contribute. We held on to the original Big 3 too long, can't we learn from our mistakes? I watched Larry Bird's bad back end his career a bit early. I watched as a gimpy foot forced McHale to limp away from the Green, and what unfolded after--years of terrible basketball, a revolving door of bad draft picks and awful free agent signings. We can stop that from happening by understanding this is a business, not a star crossed relationship with our aging superstars. Don't count on the 19th pick in the draft to turn this around either--trade that pick away, and sign and trade Pierce to a team that needs him to fill a role. We need a new and younger #1 option, and no one on this current team can fill that spot as it stands.

[FallGuy]

I love Paul Pierce but I would be absolutely devastated if the club wasted away Rondo's prime by paying Paul Pierce a load of money just to finish out his career here in Boston. Devastated, absolutely devastated.

No contract extension.

How about Paul Pierce as as sixth man and scorer off the bench?

[Who]

I love Paul Pierce but I would be absolutely devastated if the club wasted away Rondo's prime by paying Paul Pierce a load of money just to finish out his career here in Boston. Devastated, absolutely devastated.

No contract extension.

How about Paul Pierce as as sixth man and scorer off the bench?

I wouldn't hurt the club's cap flexibility over it ... and Pierce wouldn't stay for the money I would be willing to talk about.

Paul Pierce is going to want around $10 million per annum. No interest in giving him that type of money. Barely any interest at half that price nevermind $10 million.

I agree. If we all love Paul Pierce, we should let him walk to a contender, make good money and have a better shot at another championship while he can still contribute.

I would like to see Pierce with the Dallas Mavericks playing alongside Dirk, Kidd, Marion, Butler, Haywood and Terry. A loaded veteran team with a legitimate shot a championship.

I think that would be a fun situation to finish out your career.

[FallGuy]

I love Paul Pierce but I would be absolutely devastated if the club wasted away Rondo's prime by paying Paul Pierce a load of money just to finish out his career here in Boston. Devastated, absolutely devastated.

No contract extension.

How about Paul Pierce as as sixth man and scorer off the bench?

I wouldn't hurt the club's cap flexibility over it ... and Pierce wouldn't stay for the money I would be willing to talk about.

Paul Pierce is going to want around $10 million per annum. No interest in giving him that type of money. Barely any interest at half that price nevermind $10 million.

I admire your bloodless read on the situation (honestly - it's what we probably need from Danny; as a group, the vast majority of us would let sentiment interfere with our decision-making).

So - what's your take (or have you posted it elsewhere)?

Let Pierce expire, and move other pieces to make a run at... Melo (?) in 2011? Given it's not a strong free agent class next summer, perhaps a deadline deal makes more sense.

Anyway, I love Paul, like we all do, but like you, I'm mostly interested in opening a new window with a transcendent talent beside Rondo, however we might find one.

[GreenFaith1819]

Well, IMO, I think Pierce will come back with a decent contract - one that will allow us to be flexible enough to maybe bring in a player, but yet enough for him to be happy with.

I just don't see Paul tying up The Boston Celtics with any outrageous money demands...he just never seemed like the type to me.

I just couldn't imagine him playing anywhere else..I'm glad that Kevin and Larry didn't play anywhere else..I was sad to see Chief go back in the day.

[celticsclay]

I originally thought he would come back with a cap friendlier deal for 3 years, but his comments the last few days did seem kind of wierd.

[Who]

I love Paul Pierce but I would be absolutely devastated if the club wasted away Rondo's prime by paying Paul Pierce a load of money just to finish out his career here in Boston. Devastated, absolutely devastated.

No contract extension.

How about Paul Pierce as as sixth man and scorer off the bench?

I wouldn't hurt the club's cap flexibility over it ... and Pierce wouldn't stay for the money I would be willing to talk about.

Paul Pierce is going to want around $10 million per annum. No interest in giving him that type of money. Barely any interest at half that price nevermind $10 million.

I admire your bloodless read on the situation (honestly - it's what we probably need from Danny; as a group, the vast majority of us would let sentiment interfere with our decision-making).

So - what's your take (or have you posted it elsewhere)?

Let Pierce expire, and move other pieces to make a run at... Melo (?) in 2011? Given it's not a strong free agent class next summer, perhaps a deadline deal makes more sense.

Anyway, I love Paul, like we all do, but like you, I'm mostly interested in opening a new window with a transcendent talent beside Rondo, however we might find one.

(1) If the team feels it has a chance at another title then keep the team together for one more season. Keep Pierce but refuse to negotiate a contract extension and let him walk for free in the summer. May need to help facilitate a sign and trade but that won't bring much back.

Use that 2011/12 season as a year in transition and begin rebuilding. See if there are any trading possibilities (expiring contracts with Garnett/Sheed + 2010 and 2011 draft picks + future picks + 2010 MLE signing as assets). Also a 2011 MLE signing, if the right talent is available, could help the process.

(2) If the team doesn't feel it has a chance at another title, then blow it up now. Send Pierce + Sheed to Dallas for Damp + Stevenson + filler and get their salaries out of the way. Try to trade Garnett to the Spurs for RJ and remove his 2011/12 salary. Let Ray Allen walk. Do not sign TA or Nate to contracts that last beyond one season.

Use the 2010/11 season as a year in transition (borderline playoff team = low lottery pick to mid first rounder) and begin retooling through free agency the following summer. The best talent available in that class (outside of Durant/Melo) are big men (Oden, Noah, Horford) and that decision will bring clarity to Kendrick Perkins' future too.

I think Thomas, for an MLE signing, is a special talent. The best I have seen since Chauncey Billups albeit not as good as Chauncey was. You just don't see players of his ability + potential available for that price range very often. I would be willing to sign him and hurt the 2012 cap flexibility because (1) he is exceptional for that price range (2) there is still enough cap flexibility left to make a max contract signing + another impact signing (unless something horrible happens at the next CBA negotiations which are beyond the team's control so I'd ignore them). Also, I think Thomas + Perk would be an excellent defensive combination and provide a great backbone to the team.

Add a 2010 draft pick + 2011 draft pick and do something with the cap flexibility (either in free agency or via a trade) and the team will be well on it's way to several 50 win seasons for the next 5-8 years.

How well they execute the next move will decide whether they make that transition from a very good regular season team to a full fledged title contender.

Unfortunately, I don't believe there is any way to plan that final move out. Too many variable to account for both for the Celtics and across the league. Impossible to tell what type of opportunities the C's will have from there. But that's the skeleton of the plan ... that should be fleshed out as it goes along.

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That is the rough idea of what I would like to see the Celtics do.

[Who]

Different Types of Contenders

(1) Rondo + two All-Star scoring wings + defensive minded bigs

(2) Rondo + scorer/shooter role player + All-NBA wing + defensive minded bigs

(3) Rondo + stopper/shooter role player + All-Star forwards + defensive minded center

(4) Rondo + stopper/shooter role player + impact scorer + All-NBA big man + defensive minded big

(5) Rondo + All-Star SG + stopper/rebounder/shooter + All-star big + defensive big

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I think those five teams are the frameworks to potential contenders with Rondo as a building block.

A lot of flexibility there, you can fill them out with a lot of different types of players and positions and still finish up with a contender. Remain open to any possibility and take advantage of the best opportunities to add top tier talents. Be it a center, power forward, small forward or shooting guard.