Pierce might want out next year

[Loose Cannon]

I'm probably the only Celtics fan who wishes the Pierce for the Nets pick deal went through. I feel like Harrison Barnes would have been a suitable replacement for Pierce in the short term and would have been great for us long term.

[perks-a-beast]

I'm probably the only Celtics fan who wishes the Pierce for the Nets pick deal went through. I feel like Harrison Barnes would have been a suitable replacement for Pierce in the short term and would have been great for us long term.

You're absolutely the only Celtics fan to wish that. I think most would agree that trading Paul Pierce within our division for a player that won't be 1/10th the player Paul Pierce is would suck.

[Loose Cannon]

I'm probably the only Celtics fan who wishes the Pierce for the Nets pick deal went through. I feel like Harrison Barnes would have been a suitable replacement for Pierce in the short term and would have been great for us long term.

You're absolutely the only Celtics fan to wish that. I think most would agree that trading Paul Pierce within our division for a player that won't be 1/10th the player Paul Pierce is would suck.

Barnes is already a better shooter than Pierce, and playing with Rondo, he'll get a lot of easy shots and build confidence. He's also a much better athlete than Pierce at this point.

I have no problem with you believing he'll be a bust, but to say he has no chance of panning out is crazy. I was even a little skeptical on him until I found out that Danny was very interested in him. I trust Danny's judgement and I believe he would have a chance to be the Celtics building block of the future (or at least a huge piece of the puzzle).

[arambone]

I'm probably the only Celtics fan who wishes the Pierce for the Nets pick deal went through. I feel like Harrison Barnes would have been a suitable replacement for Pierce in the short term and would have been great for us long term.

I definitely would have agreed with you at the trade deadline, but I got immense enjoyment out of watching that playoff run.

Leading the Heat 3-2, when a bad no-call could have cost the C's a 4-1 route of the Heat, was incredible.

That play-off run really solidified the Big 3 as an era, and solidified Doc as one of the great coaches.

The "Let's go Celtics" chant to close out Game 6 had and has incredible sentimental value for me and probably all of us.

Also, if Pierce was traded, KG probably wouldn't be back with the C's, nor would Brandon Bass or Jason Terry.

That play-off run also had the advantage of keeping Boston in the upper echelon of free agent destinations.

I'm now actually really glad that trade did not go through, and that play-off run will be a source of many fond memories for years to come.

And we're still a top 5 team going into the next couple years.

[ballerbt]

Ya pierce might not accept the celtics first offer but theres no way he leaves boston. He's been a celtics all of his career why leave now? It just doesn't make sense for him to just leave like that. I think he's saying that because he wants more money and he's just gonna see what teams are interested in him and what he is still worth.

[Ogaju]

more money?? He is anglking for team to pick up his option....

[BballTim]

I'm probably the only Celtics fan who wishes the Pierce for the Nets pick deal went through. I feel like Harrison Barnes would have been a suitable replacement for Pierce in the short term and would have been great for us long term.

You're absolutely the only Celtics fan to wish that. I think most would agree that trading Paul Pierce within our division for a player that won't be 1/10th the player Paul Pierce is would suck.

Barnes is already a better shooter than Pierce, and playing with Rondo, he'll get a lot of easy shots and build confidence. He's also a much better athlete than Pierce at this point.

  I think you'd need to see Barnes take some shots while double teamed by nba players before you can declare him to be a better shooter than Pierce.

[Onslaught]

I'm probably the only Celtics fan who wishes the Pierce for the Nets pick deal went through. I feel like Harrison Barnes would have been a suitable replacement for Pierce in the short term and would have been great for us long term.

You're absolutely the only Celtics fan to wish that. I think most would agree that trading Paul Pierce within our division for a player that won't be 1/10th the player Paul Pierce is would suck.

Barnes is already a better shooter than Pierce, and playing with Rondo, he'll get a lot of easy shots and build confidence. He's also a much better athlete than Pierce at this point.

  I think you'd need to see Barnes take some shots while double teamed by nba players before you can declare him to be a better shooter than Pierce.

Yea, or have the game on the line and you need a shoot that only someone with a large sack could shoot.

[pearljammer10]

If things dont work out i could see danny pulling a rondo and a sign and traded pierce for a sign and traded chris paul. Maybe try ro somehow pry away deandre jordon with a bass, young and draft pick added as well.... Or pierce and rondo for nash amd gasol. I dont rhinl pierce wiuld leave rhe celts unless it was to go home to la. I hope neither of these trades happen but i could see danny doing them.

[Professor of Rondology]

Yea, or have the game on the line and you need a shoot that only someone with a large sack could shoot.

I believe I will be in the minority when I say this, but I don't think that Pierce should be our go-to "closer" anymore.  There are two major reasons that I believe this.  Very broadly, the two reasons are Pierce's declining ability due to health which has led to inconsistency, and Rondo's emergence as a go-to offensive force. I'll tackle Pierce's decline first.

At the ends of games, especially the intense ones, Pierce's legs are tired and he is a step slow.  That is the unfortunate reality for him at this point in his career.  Blame it on the injuries if you want, but the Pierce from this past Playoffs is not the guy who put the team on his back in 08. We will not get far if we are being carried by the Captain. I do not think you should make your late game offense completely reliant on a player who could get hurt at any minute.  For years now, we have been running our offense through Rondo all game but then when the game is on the line we start running Iso's for Pierce.  I remember the days when we had no choice but to make that our endgame offense.  Now we have a choice- we have a better option.  And that option is Rajon Rondo.

The saying has been for years now, "As goes Rondo, so go the Celtics."  So why do we take the ball away from his hands at the end of games in favor of the isolation play we've been watching Pierce run for his whole career?  If you still question Rondo's ability to nail clutch free throws or an open jump shot, I do not know what will ever satisfy you.  Rondo has more tricks up his sleeve than any player in the NBA.  He is truly unpredictable, which is both a blessing and a curse.  It is why it's so nerve racking to leave the game in his hands- you have no idea where the ball is going to go, or who will end up with the game winning shot.  But that is the genius of it- the defense doesn't know either.  And it's Rondo, so he WILL find the open man.  That means, more often than not, one of the following players with have an open jumper: Pierce, Garnett, Terry, Bass, Green, Lee, Bradley.  Those are all very solid jump shooters, and I'll take an open elbow jumper from Bass  over a forced fall-away from Pierce any day of the week.

This is Rondo's team, so we have to put the ball in his hands.  If he calls a play for Pierce, run that play.  If he wants to post up KG, do that.  Doc said it a few days ago- Rondo runs the show now, so I say give him carte blanche.

[Onslaught]

Yea, or have the game on the line and you need a shoot that only someone with a large sack could shoot.

I believe I will be in the minority when I say this, but I don't think that Pierce should be our go-to "closer" anymore.  There are two major reasons that I believe this.  Very broadly, the two reasons are Pierce's declining ability due to health which has led to inconsistency, and Rondo's emergence as a go-to offensive force. I'll tackle Pierce's decline first.

At the ends of games, especially the intense ones, Pierce's legs are tired and he is a step slow.  That is the unfortunate reality for him at this point in his career.  Blame it on the injuries if you want, but the Pierce from this past Playoffs is not the guy who put the team on his back in 08. We will not get far if we are being carried by the Captain. I do not think you should make your late game offense completely reliant on a player who could get hurt at any minute.  For years now, we have been running our offense through Rondo all game but then when the game is on the line we start running Iso's for Pierce.  I remember the days when we had no choice but to make that our endgame offense.  Now we have a choice- we have a better option.  And that option is Rajon Rondo.

The saying has been for years now, "As goes Rondo, so go the Celtics."  So why do we take the ball away from his hands at the end of games in favor of the isolation play we've been watching Pierce run for his whole career?  If you still question Rondo's ability to nail clutch free throws or an open jump shot, I do not know what will ever satisfy you.  Rondo has more tricks up his sleeve than any player in the NBA.  He is truly unpredictable, which is both a blessing and a curse.  It is why it's so nerve racking to leave the game in his hands- you have no idea where the ball is going to go, or who will end up with the game winning shot.  But that is the genius of it- the defense doesn't know either.  And it's Rondo, so he WILL find the open man.  That means, more often than not, one of the following players with have an open jumper: Pierce, Garnett, Terry, Bass, Green, Lee, Bradley.  Those are all very solid jump shooters, and I'll take an open elbow jumper from Bass  over a forced fall-away from Pierce any day of the week.

This is Rondo's team, so we have to put the ball in his hands.  If he calls a play for Pierce, run that play.  If he wants to post up KG, do that.  Doc said it a few days ago- Rondo runs the show now, so I say give him carte blanche.

I don't have a problem with him not being the closer as much. But he's still one of the best we've got at it and I'd say he's much better then Barnes ever could be.

[Jon]

I wouldn't read too much into it.  I think he's just talking about leaving his options open in the most general sense.  I think there's still an enormous likelihood that he still retires a Celtic and plays the next three seasons with KG. 

[Professor of Rondology]

I don't have a problem with him not being the closer as much. But he's still one of the best we've got at it and I'd say he's much better then Barnes ever could be.

I wasn't really trying to advocate for Barnes, but I understand why you interpreted my post that way.  One could extrapolate my argument to make the point that, since we don't need Pierce as a closer anymore, an athlete like Barnes might be a better fit for the Celtics.  I wouldn't go that far, because I think Pierce has much more value to this team than simply being the last-shot guy.  He is still an elite scorer when he can afford to pick his spots- this year I am looking for Pierce to play a lot more with the second unit, which we only make him a more efficient scorer because he'll be going against inferior opponents.  His rebounding and passing are underrated, and while his defense has started to backslide, he is a solid defender when healthy.

[davemonsterband]

I'm glad. He deserves to do whatever he wants. If he was to ever leave that would mean his heart isn't into it anymore and it's time to move on. I HIGHLY doubt money would be the motivating factor for him. All good things come to an end eventually, he deserves happiness, wherever that road takes him. As long as it's not Miami. The Clippers would be cool to see in his hometown. The other LA team, not so much.

[guava_wrench]

Hopefully this will lower the sentimentality among some fans who would be offended with him being traded or cut.