Paul Pierce opts out
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Add one more marquee name to the most anticipated free-agent class in NBA history: Paul Pierce.
Sources close to the situation told ESPN.com that Pierce has notified the Boston Celtics that he will opt out of the final year of his contract before Wednesday's deadline to do so, which will make Pierce an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career.
By opting out, Pierce will forfeit next season's $21.5 million salary but becomes eligible to sign a new four-year deal with the Celtics worth a maximum of $96 million and can receive four-year offers from other teams worth a maximum $93 million.
Pierce's name has scarcely been mentioned in the buildup to the summer of 2010 free-agent bonanza because, as with Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki, most rival executives believe that the Celtics would never allow the go-to scorer of the 2008 championship team to walk.
Sources said that Pierce will begin free agency by talking first to the Celtics when the market opens on Thursday at 12:01 a.m., but the 32-year-old will field other offers.
External interest in Pierce is hard to gauge because there has been so little discussion in recent months about his potential free agency and because of the heavy load he has carried for the Celtics in recent seasons. Yet Pierce just played a pivotal role in helping Boston to reach the NBA Finals and take the Los Angeles Lakers to seven grueling games as a No. 4 seed in the East.
Asked recently to gauge the likelihood of re-signing Pierce, Celtics vice president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said last week on WEEI Radio in Boston: "I don't know because he may be able to get a long-term contract somewhere else. It may be better than what we have [to offer]."
http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nba/news/story?id=5341636
Sources close to the situation told ESPN.com that Pierce has notified the Boston Celtics that he will opt out of the final year of his contract before Wednesday's deadline to do so, which will make Pierce an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career.
By opting out, Pierce will forfeit next season's $21.5 million salary but becomes eligible to sign a new four-year deal with the Celtics worth a maximum of $96 million and can receive four-year offers from other teams worth a maximum $93 million.
Pierce's name has scarcely been mentioned in the buildup to the summer of 2010 free-agent bonanza because, as with Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki, most rival executives believe that the Celtics would never allow the go-to scorer of the 2008 championship team to walk.
Sources said that Pierce will begin free agency by talking first to the Celtics when the market opens on Thursday at 12:01 a.m., but the 32-year-old will field other offers.
External interest in Pierce is hard to gauge because there has been so little discussion in recent months about his potential free agency and because of the heavy load he has carried for the Celtics in recent seasons. Yet Pierce just played a pivotal role in helping Boston to reach the NBA Finals and take the Los Angeles Lakers to seven grueling games as a No. 4 seed in the East.
Asked recently to gauge the likelihood of re-signing Pierce, Celtics vice president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said last week on WEEI Radio in Boston: "I don't know because he may be able to get a long-term contract somewhere else. It may be better than what we have [to offer]."
http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nba/news/story?id=5341636
Comments
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well that was dumb bc theres no way hes getting any where near that much
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Probably gonna re-sign but if I was the celtics I'd think twice before giving him a max deal
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Probably gonna re-sign but if I was the celtics I'd think twice before giving him a max deal
As long as they resign his wheelchair too, they should not have a problem. -
As long as they resign his wheelchair too, they should not have a problem.
LOL you already know -
That ? aint goin anywhere just trying to get more money
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Either he's dumb as hell or The Celtics are gonna resign to a max and prove to be just as dumb
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As long as they resign his wheelchair too, they should not have a problem.
*dead* be back in the 3rd quarter -
LMAO at Boston Holding this ? WheelChair to Blackball him....."? where you going? we got ya chair right here"
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Dirk too...
http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nba/news/story?id=5339661
And Yi got traded to the Wizards
http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nba/news/story?id=5340026
Damn...a lot of posturing going on... -
...odd. Why would he even consider leaving at this point?
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? the celtics
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lol ol greedy ass
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Its actually a smart move on his part. He just helped lead the team to the Finals. Still has some legs. So now is the perfect time to opt out to get more money and a contract that will take him to retirement. Why waste another year of wear and tear on himself? He's staying in Boston for sure... Not for Max money though lol
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if a team doesnt get lebron... And boston dont offer pierce good money...i can see a team like ny offer pierce a deal that he camt resist
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if a team doesnt get lebron... And boston dont offer pierce good money...i can see a team like ny offer pierce a deal that he camt resist
Nobody is Paying Paul Pierce at age 33 a Ton of Money dude . -
if a team doesnt get lebron... And boston dont offer pierce good money...i can see a team like ny offer pierce a deal that he camt resist
not happening...Paul Pierce is not a fanchise player and he's 32 -
He wants a longer contract now so he'll be guarenteed cash just in case he breaks down and becomes old and wack this year
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Lol ? acting like Pierce is searching for max money on the market or something. This is for security reasons. Ya'll already forgot about the new CBA coming up? It's better for Pierce to decline the 21 million and sign a 3/4 year deal that could possibly take him into his retirement. Manu got 3/40 extension and Pierce is at least Manu's equal. Also I could definitely see a desperate team throwing a rather large deal at Pierce if they miss out on everyone else. Especially a team like the Clippers or something.. that would be a sad day though
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id offer Paul 10 mil a year for 4 years and tell em take it or leave it
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That ? aint goin anywhere just trying to get more money
bingo.. just like dirk.. they just want those 4 yrs 96 million dollar deals.... the cba is changing next yr thats why everyone is using there opt out -
KeepOnPushing wrote: »LMAO at Boston Holding this ? WheelChair to Blackball him....."? where you going? we got ya chair right here"
pierce 1 kobe 1 -
Out of peirce, dirk and amare, the only 1 whose actually gonna leave is amare, unless the rumors are true and dirk reunites with his lover, *cough*I mean teammate millz,er, I mean steve nash on the suns.
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Maybe hes looking for a pay cut so he can give the C's a little money to play with during FA
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I'd be suprised if he left boston
