Pierce gives interview: "I didn't want to be part of rebuilding"

[sed522002]

SLAM: I imagine the return to Boston will be pretty emotional.

PP: Oh it’s definitely gonna be emotional. You spend almost half of your life in Boston, so a lot of emotions are gonna run deep, because of friends and the things you accomplished there. The fans there, the season tickets owners—I know a lot of them. I’ll see all those people.

SLAM: Some members of the media have been saying they believe Doc Rivers quit on the Celtics. How do you feel about all that?

PP: Well, I know the insides with everything that’s going on. A lot of stuff got blown out of proportion because of the media, but Doc has always said he didn’t want to be a part of a rebuilding situation. I’ve always stated that the past four or five years. After the season, the owners decided they wanted to go in that direction. It made Doc look like he was quitting but at the same time it was mutual—everything was mutual at the end. The trade, Doc leaving. I didn’t want to be a part of rebuilding; Kevin didn’t want to be a part of rebuilding; Doc didn’t want to be part of rebuilding. I think it was all mutual. We’ve done so much for the franchise that they wanted to help on our end. So Doc went to L.A., and they sent us to Brooklyn for a chance to win a Championship. That’s pretty much the way it was. Nothing more, nothing less.

http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2013/08/paul-pierce-brooklyn-nets-celtics/

[Interceptor]

I like it when PP talks about this kind of stuff, because you know he's going to be honest. So this is probably the most accurate account given of the whole mess.

[ScoobyDoo]

What a stud Pierce is. The "Truth".

You had to knwo these guys all sat down and said "look, we have to do "this" now, what's the best possible scenario for all of us, given the fact that we simply have to do "this" (rebuild), now?."

A) Pierce and Garnett go to a team that gives them a legit chance to win / compete at least, for a title there last few years.

B) Doc gets to coach a contending team

C) Boston ends up with " a lot" of cap space within the next 1-2 years, nine unprotected first round draft picks over the next 3-4 seasons.

Everybody won, including the fans. If you can't build a contender with cap space and nine first round picks, some of which, perhaps this year's, may be high lottery, then you've got issues.

The future is bright for Doc, for Pierce and Garnett and for the Celtics.

Nicely done Danny.   

[sed522002]

I think once the dust settles a lot of people will accept what happened over the summer. Paul is a straight shooter so I trust what he's saying. The sentimental side of him probably didn't want to leave Boston, but the realistic and business side was that the C's were moving on regardless. I've always said that I respected the fact that the organization at least sent them to a team that can contend and they'd be together. He'll always be a Celtic and that won't change because he's temporarily residing in NY.

[guava_wrench]

I feel that over the past year, there have been at least 3 camps on the trading Pierce question.

1 - Never trade him. Trading his is betrayal.
2 - Do what helps the team. Don't let loyalty stop you.
3 - Let him finish his career competing. If we are going to rebuild, loyalty may mean letting him compete elsewhere.

I was firmly in camp #3. If we are past the point where it makes sense to build a contender to go all in this year, then he would probably be happier elsewhere and we would benefit from getting value back.

It seems that Ainge and Pierce were also in camp #3. Pierce does not feel betrayed.

Doc may be different though as Ainge might have really believed that Doc would want to stay around. I am sure they had a pretty close working relationship. But it all seems reasonable to me.

KG on the other hand doesn't seem to think as pragmatically. That is part of what makes him great, while also leading him to waste much of his prime in Minny.

[ScoobyDoo]

TP Guava wrench, very well said. TP

I've always felt that the kindest thing Ainge could have done for Pierce and Garnett is to move them to a place where the two of them, two of the toughest competitors I've seen play, could legitimately vie for a championship their last few years.

Sure, they probably would have preferred to finish in Boston, but Ainge and the organization went all in last year to try to build enough around them to win and it didn't work. And I simply don't think we would've been able to build anything close to a contender this year, given our cap situation.

If I'm PP and KG, I'd be absolutely "thrilled" to be in Brooklyn, on a big stage, with what should be a very good team this year. What more could I ask for to wind down my career? Boston will be there for Pierce, and KG, when they're ready to hang the Jersey.

Go compete man - I can't wait to see them play and I really, really, really, really "really" hope they can absolutely stick it to Miami. I think getting Kirilenko was a very strategic move towards that end.

       

[ScoobyDoo]

I anticipate that that Brooklyn team will be a very, very different team this year, both in mental and physical toughness.

Pierce and KG will have a "huge" impact on the defensive ability of the team as well - even at their current ages.

[CelticsFan9]

Gotta love Pierce.  This guy may be wearing black and white next year, but he'll always be a Celtic to me.

[GreenFaith1819]

Good to hear this from Pierce, now....hopefully it will strike down any rumors or whatnot that's out there.

So EVERYONE wins, as others have said here....BKN has, IMO, the best shot at knocking off MIA, now.

BOS gets a LOT of picks the next few yrs.

Doc gets to coach another contending team.

And Pierce and KG get one more GOOD shot at another ring.....and I'm hoping that they somehow STILL retire in BOS.

All wins.

[mmmmm]

Love Pierce.

The Truth speaking truth.

TP for posting the snippet and the link!

[BudweiserCeltic]

If Pierce and Garnett were here, they wouldn't have been part of rebuilding because there was no rebuilding in process to consider. So the point is moot as far as I'm concerned.

[sed522002]

If Pierce and Garnett were here, they wouldn't have been part of rebuilding because there was no rebuilding in process to consider. So the point is moot as far as I'm concerned.

If PP and Garnett was still on this current team, it wouldn't have been enough to seriously contend.

[CelticConcourse]

If Pierce and Garnett were here, they wouldn't have been part of rebuilding because there was no rebuilding in process to consider. So the point is moot as far as I'm concerned.

If PP and Garnett was still on this current team, it wouldn't have been enough to seriously contend.

Four All-Stars with a bevy of good role players  would have been enough to seriously contend.

[BudweiserCeltic]

If Pierce and Garnett were here, they wouldn't have been part of rebuilding because there was no rebuilding in process to consider. So the point is moot as far as I'm concerned.

If PP and Garnett was still on this current team, it wouldn't have been enough to seriously contend.

False.

[sed522002]

If Pierce and Garnett were here, they wouldn't have been part of rebuilding because there was no rebuilding in process to consider. So the point is moot as far as I'm concerned.

If PP and Garnett was still on this current team, it wouldn't have been enough to seriously contend.

False.

Ok,if the team didn't get any real help for Garnett and PP (especially Garnett) you seriously think they'd be up there with Miami..sure ok