Wizards sign Paul Pierce, 2 years @ MLE

[hands11]

Great signing! I was thinking Caron, PP never even entered my thought process.

As said, the 2 year deal is perfect, and he is an ideal mentor for Otto. I mean it's like if we added Ray Allen to mentor Beal. It's about as perfect a situation as you can ask for.

Wondering if we still have the ability cap-wise to possibly add Boozer?

If not, Booker and Gooden, and Harrington would provide good depth behind Nene. Seraphin a possibility to backup Gortat, but Okafor returning may become an option. Also probaby bringing back Temple.

Team IQ now is maybe 2nd in league to only San Antonio with Pierce, Nene, Andre Miller, Gooden, Webster, Gortat, providing a learning environment for Wall, Beal, and Porter.

How could it not have entered you thought process. I posted the idea 100 times.

Now the real shocker that no one is talking about is the money. Paul announced he was looking for a 2 year 10M a year deal. Not a 2 year 5M a year deal.

The 50% less then he was looking for. Thats HUGE

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

The move fits, but I think it's important to point out that signing Pierce is a patch job with a 36 year old who could lose it over-night. And henceforth, anyone who calls he Wizards a young team should smack themselves. Instead of using the MLE to get a talented young player, they used it for the short-term goal of trying to stay about as good as last season. And what we're seeing in this thread is - this is what the fan base wants.

If Pierce looked finished I would agree. I think he's like Manu on the Spurs, clearly not what he was but still a good player. Pierce has an old school game. His offense is still pretty good, if his FT rate and eFG are any indication. I think this year he could be solid.

I hope there is still a little bit left to sign Dejuan Blair. He's young and would add some interior presence.

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[GhostsOfGil]

One thing that worries me is that PP is most effective at the 4 (on both ends). His production at the 3 is pretty bad. I hope the wiz plan on using his primarily as a stretch 4 or a back up to Nene. I still think we need to add another wing to help round things out.

[DaRealHibachi]

Still awaiting for Dat's response..

[gambitx777]

The thing is Pierce is probably going to be better than last year, because he is playing with better guards and a better over all team.

[WizardsWorld]

WOW.... I have been in complete shock since seeing this earlier tonight. I never in my wildest dreams ever thought I'd see Pierce in a Wizards jersey. And Marc Stein already pointed out we made sure to make it a 2 yr deal which gives us cap room in 2016 for DC's own KEVIN DURANT.

And hell maybe KG will wanna come join Pierce now and take a buyout from Brooklyn and come sign with us for cheap !

[jirrit]

The Truth and nothing but the Truth!!!!

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[gambitx777]

WOW.... I have been in complete shock since seeing this earlier tonight. I never in my wildest dreams ever thought I'd see Pierce in a Wizards jersey. And Marc Stein already pointed out we made sure to make it a 2 yr deal which gives us cap room in 2016 for DC's own KEVIN DURANT.

And hell maybe KG will wanna come join Pierce now and take a buyout from Brooklyn and come sign with us for cheap !

There is a very small out side chance that it happens, but I doubt it. Plus I don't know what we have left to offer him other than the vet min, the mini MLE ? or we trade out web?

[hands11]

WOW.... I have been in complete shock since seeing this earlier tonight. I never in my wildest dreams ever thought I'd see Pierce in a Wizards jersey. And Marc Stein already pointed out we made sure to make it a 2 yr deal which gives us cap room in 2016 for DC's own KEVIN DURANT.

And hell maybe KG will wanna come join Pierce now and take a buyout from Brooklyn and come sign with us for cheap !

Now that would be interesting. KG in DC ? That might be over doing it. I would have to think on that one.

Make no mistake. Being able to land a PP, even an older PP, is a huge leap forward for this franchise. He is the biggest FA this team has landed since MJ. A legit first ballet HOF player.

The exposure around the league of being a team that PP would play for is HUGE.

This is a huge stepping stone to future deals and league wide props.

This is exactly the kind of piece you need to be able to add if you want to chase titles. PP has tons of experience he can pass on to Otto, Wall and Beal. And he could be huge for Rice.

This is how you grow your young stars. You surround them with these kind of vets. Even if they are only around a year or two.

Wall, Beal, Otto and even Glen and Kevin are really going to get an serious education with Paul, Nene, Gortat, Webby, Miller, Gooden and AH around. And I'm liking Sam I Am as an assistant more and more as we add these kind of vets for him to team up with to teach these younger players.

This is how you do it. Young core surrounded by vets. Its how SAS and other great teams groom its young stars.

The organizational professionalism of this franchise just took a big step forward.

[Paradise]

Congrats on adding Pierce. He's still very good. Every now and then, he can score 25-30 points and make it look easy.

The only 'negative' thing I can say about him is he appears to be strictly a stretch PF at this stage of his career. He doesn't have the quickness to guard Small Forwards or score over wing defenders. He also can be very lazy on defense at times. That's really his only net negative. His passion, clutchness and leadership will make the Wizards alot better come playoff time. Great signing. Good luck this season.

[Deivy202]

Wouldn't be surprised if we did what some one said about a nene for KG trade.

Im stunned by this move.

[Deivy202]

Im sure Humphrie is next tp sign ...would love blair tbo.

I expect us to trade for KG for nene .

[Dat2U]

Move only works if Pierce is here to play stretch 4... Pierce really struggled at beginning of last season until he was moved to PF. He opens up spacing and defends 4s surprisingly well, better than he does 3s.

Pierce as stretch 4 is a big upgrade over Booker and should work well in combo with Nene. At the 3 he becomes a big downgrade on both sides of the court and forces us to slow the pace.

[Deivy202]

Move only works if Pierce is here to play stretch 4... Pierce really struggled at beginning of last season until he was moved to PF. He opens up spacing and defends 4s surprisingly well, better than he does 3s.

Pierce as stretch 4 is a big upgrade over Booker and should work well in combo with Nene. At the 3 he becomes a big downgrade on both sides of the court and forces us to slow the pace.

down year at the 3- but its Likely he will be better here than brooklyn Which I Feel he didnt Wanna be there.

I think pierce avgs 15-16 next year at SF give it time plus arixa wasnt quick.

[penbeast0]

Ok, for once I am solidly behind a Wizards front office move with no quibbles about price. Scares me a bit to tell the truth.

[nate33]

A couple of thoughts:

1. A bold signing! It looks like EG could have retained Ariza for something in the $8-9M a year range but EG must of known that Pierce was there as Plan B. EG felt that the flexibility of the 2-year deal was more important. Finally, some planning for the future!

2. Overall, I think Pierce isn't as good as Ariza at this point. This will be a modest step backward at the SF position unless Porter steps it up big time, or Webster comes back healthy and looking like he did in 2012/13.

3. I really hope Rice pans out. He could play a big role this year as the young, athletic wing defender that we lack. We are suddenly pretty suspect in that department. I don't think Porter is ready to be a stopper yet (though I think he'll have an impact offensively this year).

4. Funny, during the Ariza Watch, we were all counting the teams with cap space and the number of premier, more-than-MLE small forwards available. There was Cleveland, Miami, Dallas, Houston and Washington chasing Lebron, Parsons, Ariza and Dieng. When the music stopped, someone was going to lose out. All along, I never really factored Pierce. I stupidly assumed he'd find his way to the Clippers even though they had no cap room. As it turns out, we ended up with the 5th best SF on the market, but got him at a great price. Well played Mr. Grunfeld.

5. Why didn't Pierce go to the Clippers? Surely, they would have offered the MLE for 2 years as well. I guess Pierce really didn't want to play in the West, far from home and against stiffer competition. He's found a way to extend his career as a small ball PF. It's a lot easier to do that in the East than the West.

[MrDollarBills]

Nets fan here

Congrats on signing PP, he should help your team out. Just be wary about him playing SF...he is literally too slow to defend anyone at the position now, and during last season he was a bit turnover prone. At PF he's solid on the offensive end, defensively you still have to worry about size mismatches. There were times where bigger PFs manhandled him a bit but to his credit he refused to back down.

Other than that, you've got yourself a guy that will spread the floor and will provide leadership. Good luck, you guys have a pretty nice team.

[closg00]

Good signing, my only wish is that Randy does not play PP heavy minutes cause he's lost a step. Porter & Rice should be getting minutes also with Webster out.

[JWizmentality]

WTF did I just wake up to?!?!? Go Ernie damn!!

[mhd]

Yeah, we really don't have a defensive "stopper" on the roster, unless Rice molds into that role. Porter needs to add some serious weight (although to be fair, he looked a bit more built than last year). I think, assuming we resign Gooden and Seraphin, and then the rotation looks like (until Martell comes back):

PG: Wall (34 MPG)/Miller (14 MPG)
SG: Beal (34 MPG)/Rice (14 MPG)
SF: Pierce (12 MPG)/Porter (28 MPG)/Rice (8 MPG)
PF: Nene (24 MPG)/Pierce (12 MPG)/Gooden (12 MPG)
C: Gortat (30 MPG)/Nene (6 MPG)/(Seraphin/Gooden) (12 MPG)