Paul Pierce reportedly committed to play in a pair of exhibition games next month in Mexico. The games will be hosted by Eduardo Najera, whose Wikipedia page says scouts “boasted about Najera’s quick first step” while he was in college. Presumably, said scouts have long since been fired.

The games will be hosted by Mexico native and Charlotte Bobcats forward Eduardo Najera. Organizers of the event said Tyson Chandler, Trevor Ariza, Marcus Camby, DeAndre Jordan, Corey Maggette, Jerryd Bayless and Ryan Hollins are among the other players who will participate in the games. Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash has also been invited to play.

Marc Spears also reported that Pierce will possibly travel to Mexico City on October 4, when a group of players are meeting Mexico President Felipe Calderon (no relationship to Jose, I don’t think) and businessman Carlos Slim Helu, considered the world’s richest man.

The exhibition games were hatched by Najera with the hope that the event will bring positive attention to a country battling a violent drug war. But if forgetting about drugs is the goal, I’m not sure why anyone invited Marcus Camby.

The Boston Celtics are exploring trades that would bring Leandro Barbosa or Rudy Fernandez to Boston. (Boston Herald)

League sources said yesterday that the Celts have expressed trade interest in guards Leandro Barbosa of Phoenix and Rudy Fernandez of Portland.

The Celtics probably are using Rasheed Wallace’s contract in their attempt to acquire Barbosa, who averaged 9.5 points in 17.9 minutes for the Suns this season.

Barbosa will make $7.1 million in 2010-11 and has a player option for $7.6 million the following season. Wallace is on the books for $6,322,320, which is well within the acceptable range (125 percent plus $100,000) for a trade under NBA rules.

The Suns then could let Wallace retire and be responsible on their cap only for the buyout, which the C’s could help with, too.

Of course, none of this trade talk means anything if Wallace doesn’t actually retire. Fernandez and Barbosa sure can spark a second unit, though. They’re both instant offense, in the mold of Nate Robinson… except they aren’t midgets, so they could actually play alongside Rondo.

Something interesting to note: Fernandez is only going to make $1.2 million next season. If I’m not mistaken, a straight-up trade of Sheed for Fernandez doesn’t work. Fernandez and Marcus Camby for Big Baby and Sheed, anyone?