Recent reports are thatPaul Pierceis considering opting out of his final year with the Wizards in order to reunite with his former coachDoc Riversand join the Los Angeles Clippers with the hopes of making one last run at an NBA title.
The last time fans saw Pierce, his season-saving buzzer-beater was not counted and the Washington Wizards were eliminated after a resilient effort against the East leading Atlanta Hawks. Pierce spoke on the grind of the season, the 17th of his storied career, and his future in stating:
"“Truthfully, what was going through my mind is, I don’t have too much of these efforts left, if any. These rides throughout the NBA season, throughout the playoffs, are very emotional. They take a lot out of not only your body, but your mind, your spirit…. I don’t even know if I’m going to play basketball anymore.”"
In a career that saw him win an NBA title in 2008, it is only reasonable that he ponders his future after basketball as he sees contemporaries such asKevin GarnettandKobe Bryantentering the twilight of their careers. The field also only seems to be getting younger and quicker with competition such asKyrie Irving,Stephen Curry, andJames Hardennow dominating the league. There’s also theKingin Cleveland who is still the force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference.
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The chatter around Pierce is that he is considering his options for what is the final step in his career. NBA.com’s David Aldridge spoke on the topic in hiscolumnand expanded on the idea ofDoc Riverspossibly bringing in other veteran to bolster the bench with experience.
For Pierce, it would be the third move since leaving the Celtics in what has been a tumultuous journey the last few seasons. His experiment in Brooklyn with fellow former Celtic Garnett ended in failure as the team couldn’t find the desired chemistry together withBrook LopezandDeron Williamsin their short time together. In moving to the Wizards, he has provided veteran leadership to a young and talented roster that has been improving steadily the last few seasons. His presence has helped to bolster what is arguably becoming the second-best back-court in the NBA withJohn WallandBradley Beal. His buzzer-beater against the Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals also showed he retains his championship composure when his team needs him most.
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If he were to join the Clippers, Pierce would undoubtedly provide a great boost off the bench to complimentJamal CrawfordandAustin Riverson the second unit. His inclusion in the squad will likely be undecided until the Clippers find out if they are able to re-signDeAndre Jordan. Pierce would be taking a pay-cut in order to join the team. He is set to make $5.5 million in his final year with the Wizards. That would leave the Clippers with the option to pay Pierce the veteran’s exception of $1.5 million or a maximum mid-level exception of $3.7 million. These figures are all assuming that the Clippers pay the maximum to keep Jordan.
While the focus shifts to the conference finals, it seems that players and teams across the league are already chomping at the bit for next season. For more on the possibility of Paul Pierce returning home to Los Angeles and all Clippers news, stay tuned here at LA Sports HUB.
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