C’s should tread carefully with Paul Pierce
I want Pierce as a Celtic forever... but not if it's going to set the C's back another ten years.
I was going to write a piece about how the Celtics should make sure not to overpay Pierce. It’s time for cold, hard logic and not sentimentality, ya know?
I don’t want Pierce going anywhere, but… I’d rather not overpay him, flush the C’s future down the toilet, and then see Pierce hobbling around the court three years down the road while making $18 million. Pierce is a very good player, but anyone who thinks he’s still in his prime is nuts. He’s clearly lost a step, no longer dominates and he’s not getting any younger, folks.
So I was going to write about all that, but WEEI’s Kirk Minihane beat me to it. Kirk explains everything you need to know about Pierce’s potential opt-out and the ensuing situation facing the Celtics, concluding:
Is the smart move to work out an extension with the Celtics?
Makes too much sense not to happen, doesn’t it? Can’t Ainge and Jeff Schwartz (Pierce’s agent) find a number of years and dollars that work for both sides? How about three years and $42 million? Gives the Celtics some cap room over the next few years and Pierce keeps face with a solid extension. Pierce may not be the player he was a couple of years ago, but he’s still be decent value at that contract. And he gets one more payday before what will be a hugely restrictive CBA kicks in.
If I’m Danny that’s my best and final offer. Three years, $42 million. If Pierce doesn’t think that’s enough? You shake hands, wish him well, and get started on the rebuild. Remember, only so much room today for sentimentality.
In a perfect world Pierce would opt out, the C’s would sign both him and Ray Allen to two-year deals, and the Big Three’s contracts would all expire in 2012, at which time the Celtics could reload for the future.
Sadly, the world isn’t perfect. Which might be why the Knicks reportedly think Joe Johnson is a better player than Lebron James. I’m not even kidding. Whatever the Knicks front office (and the reporter who wrote the story) is smoking, please keep it away from my little brothers.
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Celtics Blog, Featured | Jay King | June 29, 2010
2 years, 28 million would be ideal. But I’m willing to bet Pierce is adamant about a 3rd year. I could live with 3 years 42 Million, and I 100% agree with Kirk, that should be Danny’s last and final offer (but of course, start lower and hope Pierce bites.)
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I’m with you. Kirk’s almost always spot-on. He knows his stuff and has some sports common sense.
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Convenient that NY believes that NOW after salivating for years, and having their fan base say, “In 2010 when we get Lebron and Bosh…!” Now all of a sudden when they know that they have about as much chance of landing Lebron as the Celtic’s do they say, “Oh it’s ok! We’ll just get Joe Johnson! After all… he’s the REAL class of this Free Agency group!”
LOL! Enjoy trying to sell that one for the next 8-10 years while the Knick’s and JJ are getting paid in the offseason to shine Lebron’s O’Brien trophies! LOL!
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You mean you don’t think that Joe Johnson is the real stud of the 2010 free agent class? But he led Atlanta past the Bucks this year! And he almost won a game against the Magic!
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As for PP…I love you man but…if you’re gonna go Kobe on us and try to handcuff the team to make a few extra bucks while you drag the franchise down to mediocrity in your declining years instead of doing the TEAM thing and taking a pay cut when you’re, clearly, past your prime? Sorry man…you were my boy, but Rudy Gay would be worth the $14 mil for the next 5 years and would give us athleticism, defense and scoring too. We can start rebuilding with 2 solid FA guys like Mike Miller and Rudy, and make a trade for Al to get young and build around Rondo while KG still has a couple years left. Then we’d have Perk, RR, Miller, Gay, Jefferson, sign Gomes back as a backup, Bradley, and when KG comes off we could target KD and move Rudy to SG.
If Ray and PP are concerned about $$% instead of winning…let them go get their money.
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