He wants to be mentioned among the greatest NBA players, like his childhood idol, Magic Johnson, who previously hosted a charity weekend benefiting several LA-based and national foundations. But Pierce knows that kind of legacy rarely comes without a championship, something he might have to chase somewhere besides Boston.
"I think about [my legacy] all the time, probably more this year than other years," said Pierce. "I realize I'm going into my ninth year and I've probably only got five or six years left to play. If I can just get that opportunity, to be on a team where I have a chance to compete for a championship, that's all I can ask for. I guess the teams that I've been on pretty much my whole career we've been fighting just to get in the playoffs. I want the opportunity to go deep into the playoffs just to show people what I can do."
Last season, Pierce frequently said he wanted to retire a Celtic and see his No. 34 raised to the rafters. Downtime in LA this summer might have changed his perspective slightly. Plus, watching Walker win a championship with the Miami Heat also made Pierce think more critically about the direction of his career.
"You get a chance to come home and be around your family and I've got people coming at me from all type of sides," said Pierce. "I've got people telling me this is what you need to do. A lot of people say, `You need to be in LA, you won't win a championship in Boston' and `by the time y'all [in Boston] are ready, you'll be retired.' It does get to you at times and it's something to think about."
On the optimistic side, Pierce recognizes one big deal can dramatically change the Celtics' outlook for next season, bringing to mind players such as Kevin Garnett and Jermaine O'Neal, in addition to Iverson. Pierce is friendly with Garnett and O'Neal and would welcome either one in a blockbuster deal.
When asked whom he would like to see in Boston uniform, Pierce said, "Shaquille O'Neal, but that's unrealistic. Realistically? It's hard to say what realistic trades are out there. You hear rumors about KG, Jermaine O'Neal, Allen Iverson. How true are they? Everybody would love to play with those type of guys. We're all in the same position. We're All-Stars on struggling teams that need help. I think KG probably needs me as much as I need him. The same with Jermaine. The same with AI."
http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball ... ig_dreams/
