I don't think GSW or Denver make much sense at all. They've both got very able long-term solutions at the 3, and any cap flexibility they can grant Pierce isn't going to get them far enough down to do anything special.
Golden State makes a lot of sense. They are a likely tax-paying team who have a big contract for a useless player (Biedrins) and more money tied up in a player they don't need in Richard Jefferson. The problem is that Biedrins has a ETO and Jefferson has a player option, which makes the timing of a trade a bit problematic.
A true blow it up trade would be Pierce and KG (if he agrees to waive his no-trade clause so he can head west with Pierce) for Biedrins, Jefferson, filler, and first-round picks, at least one of which is far enough in the future that it is likely to be available when PP/KG are gone from GS and the Warriors have a chance of sucking.
The reason why Golden State doesn't make sense is because even if you're considering Pierce a straight salary dump (as in, they're waiving him after unloading Jefferson and potentially Biedrins), who else is Golden State sending back?
They've got to resign Jarret Jack and Carl Landry. They'd love to unload Richard Jefferson and Andris Biedrins, but the Celtics would need someone back. The best Golden State seems to be offering are picks starting in 2015 at the earliest, and potentially Brandon Rush.
After the most successful playoff run in almost 40 years, who are they going to gamble on replacing?
And last but not least, why would GSW possibly pay Pierce? They've got a player with the potential to be truly special in Harrison Barnes, but they're going to eat up his minutes in the least with Pierce at the 3? Just doesn't make sense.
If I were the Celtics and wanted a full-on rebuild, I'd prefer draft picks starting in 2015 at the earliest to getting back a player like Brandon Rush or Carl Landry. It would make some sense to have Pierce come off the bench and possibly play as a smallball 4 when other teams go small and David Lee's defense becomes a huge problem.
Why would they pay Pierce 15.3 million dollars to be the small-ball 3? They've got Brandon Rush, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green who can all defend the 3, and Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, and Carl Landry who can all defend small-ball 4's as well or better than Pierce can.
It is also possible that acquiring and waiving Pierce will put Golden State far enough below the apron to use the full MLE.
Let's say Pierce was traded to Golden State:
Pierce (15.3 million) alone can net back 19.1 million in salary.
Next season, before GSW negotiates new contracts with Carl Landry and Jarret Jack, they'll be at 69.784 million dollars in payroll after Landry uses his player option and before cap holds. After cap holds they'll be at 77.984 million (+Jarret Jack's 8.1 million dollar cap hold while he negotiates a new contract).
The Celtics could hypothetically trade Pierce and DJ White for Biedrins, Jefferson, and the Warriors 2015 first round pick.
The Warriors would then waive both of them (both unguaranteed), only retaining 5 million of Pierce's salary.
Then, after Jack's cap hold, after Pierce's remaining 5 million, and everyone else they'd have on salary, they'd have roughly 62 million plus tied up, and still with no new contract for Carl Landry (and with no cap hold included, so that's sheer addition)
There are enough possibilities there that I could see Golden State and Boston having talks that would lead to seeking a third team that can facilitate the trade.
Obviously it makes a lot of sense for Golden State to unload 10 million+ from their cap figure, but you have to think that the Celtics would want more than a 1st round pick 2 years from now from a team where 100% of their core will still be in their basketball prime.
Just seems like a bad deal for the C's. WHen it was Barnes coming back it was a homerun. Now...notsomuch.
Topic: So where do you think Pierce is going? (if he does get traded) (Read 7094 times)