Pierce says he would sign a 1 day contract to retire a Celtic if released

[rondohondo]

Just heard that on WEEI.

That kind of scares me , enjoy tonight's game , could be the last for KG and PP....

[Celtic Fan Forever]

I really hope they pull out this win tonight, though the odds are clearly against them. I'm not ready to say goodbye to Pierce, he's been a Celtic since I was a little kid.

[SparzWizard]

So the time has come...

[bobbyv]

Might as well let him ride out the contract. There really is no big benefit to trading him. Not gonna get great value for him.

[Chris]

Might as well let him ride out the contract. There really is no big benefit to trading him. Not gonna get great value for him.

Well, the benefit to trading him is 2 things.

First, salary filler.  If you want to get a younger, impact player, chances are you will need a way to match their contract, and an expiring contract like Pierce's can be very valuable for that.

Second, you would get SOME value for him.  A contender would love to give up an expiring contract and a young player or pick for him, I would imagine. 

You are right that you are not going to get equal value for what Pierce does for this team.  However, if you are commited to moving on, he would be a valuable piece to move. 

[KGs Knee]

Might as well let him ride out the contract. There really is no big benefit to trading him. Not gonna get great value for him.

Pierce still has value as an expiring contract.  Either on draft day (due to his partially guaranteed deal next season), or at the trade deadline.

[Lucky17]

I honestly can't believe Pierce said that. Would have figured he'd brush off the question, or give a fluff answer.

It's in the air now.

[Chris]

I honestly can't believe Pierce said that. Would have figured he'd brush off the question, or give a fluff answer.

It's in the air now.

Pierce has been pretty open about his willingness to play elsewhere, if that's what is best for the team and himself.  I think Pierce is a classic ringchaser.  He understands that another championship would be great for his legacy, and he also knows his legacy in Boston is secure, and he can always retire a Celtic via a 1 day contract. 

[Kane3387]

I honestly can't believe Pierce said that. Would have figured he'd brush off the question, or give a fluff answer.

It's in the air now.

Maybe he knows KG is almost undoubtedly retiring and he's not really going to want to be here without him.

[BballTim]

Might as well let him ride out the contract. There really is no big benefit to trading him. Not gonna get great value for him.

  Who knows what you'd get for him? Almost every time there's a trade half the people here think it's pretty lopsided.

[ItStaysYang]

Might as well let him ride out the contract. There really is no big benefit to trading him. Not gonna get great value for him.

That isn't necessarily true. There is certainly some ground to say he's "comfortable" in Boston. If traded to, say, the Clippers, he would certainly need to win over that fan-base. I'm sure he would arrive at training camp in great shape and ready to compete.

That isn't to say I want him gone, of course. As slow as he is now, he's still the truth. Hopefully the returns on his contract do not deteriorate severely between this year and the next, if he stays.

[celtics2]

It's been so humiliating being a Celtic! Post Cousy era should have gone with LA. The blundering fools that run this Organization are pathetic. In all these decades they got lucky twice. With the Chief and McHale finds to help Bird and lately with Allen and KG.

[Lucky17]

I honestly can't believe Pierce said that. Would have figured he'd brush off the question, or give a fluff answer.

It's in the air now.

Pierce has been pretty open about his willingness to play elsewhere, if that's what is best for the team and himself.  I think Pierce is a classic ringchaser.  He understands that another championship would be great for his legacy, and he also knows his legacy in Boston is secure, and he can always retire a Celtic via a 1 day contract.

Oh, yeah. I don't mean I can't believe he said it, I can't believe he said it right now, just before an elimination game. As if he's resigned himself to the fact that tonight could be his last in a Celtics uniform (for a while).

[Lucky17]

Sounds like WEEI is just reading ESPN over the air:

http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/9231445/2013-nba-playoffs-paul-pierce-boston-celtics-wants-play-least-1-more-year

"Well, I always said I want to end my career as a Celtic," said Pierce. "But they're the ones -- I have a contract for next year, but it's not guaranteed. So the decision is in their hands. Whatever decisions they make, maybe if they trade me somewhere or I end up somewhere else, maybe it can be a situation where I come back for a one-day deal and retire a Celtic."

[rondohondo]

Well, I always said I want to end my career as a Celtic. But they're the ones -- I have a contract for next year, but it's not guaranteed. So the decision is in their hands. Whatever decisions they make, maybe if they trade me somewhere or I end up somewhere else, maybe it can be a situation where I come back for a one-day deal and retire a Celtic.