Pay per head shops are wondering what are the Boston Celtics going to look like if they lose Paul Pierce? It seems like he has always been there. When you think of the Celtics, the image of Paul Pierce comes to mind… and vice-versa. No other player is so identified with the Boston professional basketball team. Pierce has been in Boston for this entire century… so far.
But now all indications point to 2013 having been Pierce’s last season with the Celtics organization. He was set to play out the last year of his contract, for $15 million, but the Celtics front office doesn’t seem disposed to pay out that much for what they see as an aging player nearing the end of his career. What a shame.
Sources close to Pierce report that, “I don’t think they will bring Pierce back.”
Greg Dickerson told CSNNE, “I know for a fact that people around Paul have pretty much resigned themselves to the fact that he’s played his final game in a Boston Celtics uniform… and I don’t think Paul Pierce believes either.” (Check 3:45 on the video)
Not that Pierce wants to leave Boston, he does not. He wants to stay with his team..and obviously for the fifteen million bucks…but he wants to finish his career in a Celtics uniform.” As he should. Bookies are banking on the fact that Paul Pierce won’t be seen in any other color that Celtics Green.
Pierce still has one more year on his contract with the Celtics but there is a buyout clause in the deal for $5,000,000. Not a bad deal… but not what he wants. Nor do the Boston fans or sports bettors want him to leave.
Pierce is keeping quiet publically about the situation except to say that he wants to stay in Boston. He also adds that the situation is out of his hands at this point. Celtics general manager, and former NBA great, Danny Ainge, is the guy tasked with the tough decision of what to do with the most easily identifiable Celtic for the past decade. It will surely be a difficult task.
Ainge is faced with the responsibility of rebuilding the struggling Celtics organization back to its former status as one of the most consistently good basketball teams on the NBA. Cutting Paul Pierce is one of his options.
Considering Danny Ainge’s history of loyalty to his team mates, it could go either way at this point. Pay per head experts say don’t be surprised to see Paul Pierce back in Celtics green next season.
