Pierce deal is done - 4th year is fully guaranteed

[xmuscularghandix]

 Is Ainge really stupid enough to guarantee him a 4th year, overpay an aging player, and screw up our best shot at rebuilding with one of the best PGs in the league and a SG with great potential?

have you seen what other free agents are getting? The Pierce deal is a great deal for the celtics in comparison. I'm glad it worked out. By the way, who's the "SG with great potential" that your talking about?

Avery Bradley. And don't even say that he's a point guard.

I hope so , but that's a long stretch, and Pierce is a SF.

I don’t know where he’s going with that either. But Bradley’s potential isn’t really that much of a stretch.

[nickagneta]

Three years from no,w with Rondo and Pierce being the only ones on the books, if Danny is careful about how he handles the rest of the team salary, he will still have a bunch of flexibility to add at least one max level free agent.

Remember, after the new CBA kicks in max salaries are probably going to be smaller per year and salaries as a whole will be lower. Also, if the economy turns around and the league prospers, the salary cap might be higher. Also, if Pierce is adament about actually playing that final year and he is a hindrance to this team, then the C's can hardball him and tell him to either except a very, very favorable buyout of his contract or he can go end his career elsewhere because they are going to trade his expiring contract.

This fourth year guaranteed means very little to me. First, the team is going to save over $12 million next year alone. Then, is the lockout is extensive the Celtics will be not paying anyone during the 2011-12 season. At this point it looks like the owners are going to be getting the TV money paid to them during the lockout so the C's won't be losing a fortune during the lockout.

So there's still an eternity before that year comes and anything could happen.

[Levis107]

I don't see how anyone can say this is a bad deal.  It's not like this is a maximum contract.  Pierce took a big pay cut for us this season and a price that won't cripple the franchise 4 years from now.  And he gets to retire a Celtic like he, the fans, and the franchise wanted.  Everyone is a winner here.

[Drucci]

I don't like the guaranteed 4th year but overall, good deal, and it's nice from Pierce to agree to a paycut to help management this season.

[Roy Hobbs]

For a player of Pierce's caliber, this deal is a steal, regardless of the fourth year.  I just don't get the hand-wringing about delaying rebuilding. 

Do people remember rebuilding?  We did it for about 20 years.  It sucked.  The Bulls have been doing it for 25 years, and still haven't made it back to the ECF.  The Clippers rebuild every year.  The Grizzlies, the Twolves, the Knicks . . .  It's just not a system that works very well. 

[Spilling Green Dye]

For a player of Pierce's caliber, this deal is a steal, regardless of the fourth year.  I just don't get the hand-wringing about delaying rebuilding. 

Do people remember rebuilding?  We did it for about 20 years.  It sucked.  The Bulls have been doing it for 25 years, and still haven't made it back to the ECF.  The Clippers rebuild every year.  The Grizzlies, the Twolves, the Knicks . . .  It's just not a system that works very well. 

The Bulls most definitely have not been rebuilding for 25 years, so I'm going to assume you made a typo Roy.

The legitimate concern is this:  If what you saw was a team getting older and unable to win a championship, and you have a legitimate young star with a favorable contract, why ruin that potential for a stubborn attempt at "reloading" that is likely to not end up as a success?

[celticinorlando]

PP could have got a lot more from someone else or the celtics. his move was loyal to the team. I appreciate PP

[Celts17Pride]

This is a good deal for both Pierce and the Celtics. Expect the same with Ray Allen. I'm guessing Ray Allen is going to get a 4 year deal with 3 years being fully guaranteed. We'll see.

[xmuscularghandix]

Dirk got 4 Years 80 Million. So I’m happy about Pierce’s.

[NicaraguanFan]

Pierce deserved that and more...  And he is giving us some luxury tax relief for next year.   What else can we ask for?

[CoachBo]

I trust that the complainers do realize that two years - and perhaps even three - wouldn't have gotten a contract done. Picture Pierce in LA. Or Dallas.

Now, I do note the thirst on this blog to bomb this franchise back to the Gerald Green 24-win Stone Age - as laughable as I find it.

This is pretty simple: They're going to make another run at it. They believe KG's knee will be better next year. Their play on the floor suggests they've got another run in them.

So put the desire to destroy the franchise away for another year. We're going after 18. Sorry.

[BballTim]

For a player of Pierce's caliber, this deal is a steal, regardless of the fourth year.  I just don't get the hand-wringing about delaying rebuilding. 

Do people remember rebuilding?  We did it for about 20 years.  It sucked.  The Bulls have been doing it for 25 years, and still haven't made it back to the ECF.  The Clippers rebuild every year.  The Grizzlies, the Twolves, the Knicks . . .  It's just not a system that works very well. 

The Bulls most definitely have not been rebuilding for 25 years, so I'm going to assume you made a typo Roy.

The legitimate concern is this:  If what you saw was a team getting older and unable to win a championship, and you have a legitimate young star with a favorable contract, why ruin that potential for a stubborn attempt at "reloading" that is likely to not end up as a success?

  Even under the rosiest of scenarios rebuilding will take a few years. If things break the right way they can probably sign a player or two before the 4th year and another player right after Paul leaves.

[CoachBo]

For a player of Pierce's caliber, this deal is a steal, regardless of the fourth year.  I just don't get the hand-wringing about delaying rebuilding.  

Do people remember rebuilding?  We did it for about 20 years.  It sucked.  The Bulls have been doing it for 25 years, and still haven't made it back to the ECF.  The Clippers rebuild every year.  The Grizzlies, the Twolves, the Knicks . . .  It's just not a system that works very well.  

Big Tommy Point for this one.

Some people just thrive on rebuilding, Roy. Winning bores them.

In my world, rebuilding is boring. Losing stinks. I haven't forgotten how bad the Big Al-Gerald-Delonte group was on the floor. And for the record, the Bulls have been rebuilding a LONG time - 13 years. I have NO interest whatsoever in investing in a process one second sooner than declining skills make it necessary. And no, six minutes short of a title doesn't fit that bill. Let's also not forget that we're still rebuilding if Minnesota and Seattle weren't willing to trade bonafide stars for pennies on the dollar.

And I'm for ANYTHING that delays a return to those years.

[billysan]

And I'm for ANYTHING that delays a return to those years.

I am in this boat as well.


I do understand the desire to add more quality players. There seems to be a lot of fretting over the retirement of Sheed, the possibility of losing Ray to someone who waives a bunch of money at him and the recently solved problems of losing Doc and Paul Pierce.

I think we just need to trust Danny to spend the organizations money the best he can on whayever the current market has to offer. He hasnt done so bad the past few years. If we have to pay a little more to retain or acquire certain pieces, so be it.

No one can say with any clarity that resigning PP for this kind of money is a bad move. He surely would have gotten more elsewhere IMO. His loyalty to us is being rewarded by showing loyalty to him in return. Once again, Paul has made a sacrifice because he loves this city and franchise.

I applaud him for getting this deal done quickly. Now Danny can work on other areas of concern. Once again this is in the best interest of the Celtics Franchise.

Sorry for the rant everyone. I just feel like a huge burden has been lifted.

[jdpapa3]

Not that happy with that 4th year. BUT, you have to think that those last 2 or 3 years of the contract will be worth it if we still contend. You lose Pierce, and you have to either get really creative or go back to the rebuilding stage.