Paul Pierce Won't Decide On Retirement Until Offseason

[RealGM Wiretap]

Paul Pierce won't decide if this will be his final NBA season until the summer.

Pierce admits he's in the worst stretch of his career.

"The older you get and the less and less you're able to do things that you could do before, you start thinking about maybe it's that time," said Pierce.

Pierce signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract last offseason with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Pierce is averaging 4.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 17.5 minutes a game while shooting 29.7 percent.

Via Ben Bolch/Los Angeles Times

[Pickled Prunes]

Pierce is averaging 4.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 17.5 minutes a game while shooting 29.7 percent.

Yeah, he's not playing great... but he's getting paid $3.5M per to not play great. Why retire?

[mawbsta]

he signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract - he thought that would mean 6th man status at the least - 25mpg, 9-10 shots, 12pts, 5reb, 3ast etc. something similar to what he got in BK and WAS

Instead he's getting 17mpg and 4 shots a game and makes up the useless trio with Josh Smith and Pablo Prigioni

How the mighty have fallen

[BlzMwt]

he signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract - he thought that would mean 6th man status at the least - 25mpg, 9-10 shots, 12pts, 5reb, 3ast etc. something similar to what he got in BK and WAS

Instead he's getting 17mpg and 4 shots a game and makes up the useless trio with Josh Smith and Pablo Prigioni

How the mighty have fallen

how do you know what he expected his role or stats to be?

pretty sure it was stated at the time that doc was going to try and preserve him for the playoffs... and pierce stated that he would fill whatever role the team needed him to

[GuyverX]

he signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract - he thought that would mean 6th man status at the least - 25mpg, 9-10 shots, 12pts, 5reb, 3ast etc. something similar to what he got in BK and WAS

Instead he's getting 17mpg and 4 shots a game and makes up the useless trio with Josh Smith and Pablo Prigioni

How the mighty have fallen

Pierce can hardly keep in front of other SF's anymore. His role was never to be the starting SF anyway. Doc was going to save him for the playoffs but at this point there doesn't look like there is much to preserve. Pierce is likely done after this season. The Clippers acquired him about 2 years too late. I mean, maybe he can turn it on and start hitting all those open threes but he's just too slow to guard anybody.

[Sam195]

he signed a three-year, $10.5 million contract - he thought that would mean 6th man status at the least - 25mpg, 9-10 shots, 12pts, 5reb, 3ast etc. something similar to what he got in BK and WAS

Instead he's getting 17mpg and 4 shots a game and makes up the useless trio with Josh Smith and Pablo Prigioni

How the mighty have fallen

Pierce can hardly keep in front of other SF's anymore. His role was never to be the starting SF anyway. Doc was going to save him for the playoffs but at this point there doesn't look like there is much to preserve. Pierce is likely done after this season. The Clippers acquired him about 2 years too late. I mean, maybe he can turn it on and start hitting all those open threes but he's just too slow to guard anybody.

I don't think he leaves the money on the table - if he retires it will likely be after the clippers waive him using the stretch provision. I'm pretty sure he didn't leave the wizards who apparently offered him a new guaranteed 2 years 14M deal after he opted out to make like 3M and change with the clippers. I think Doc Rivers offer him 10.5m to play 1 or 2 seasons not a full 3 like how his deal is structured. Clippers can afford to stretch his deal because the salary cap is rising and his buyout cap hit will make a very minor dent over 5 years.

[southern wolf]

Pierce is averaging 4.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 17.5 minutes a game while shooting 29.7 percent.

Yeah, he's not playing great... but he's getting paid $3.5M per to not play great. Why retire?

Some players like to go out with a little more dignity. Plus he could easily land a TV gig somewhere and continue to make plenty of money.

[12footrim]

Pierce is averaging 4.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 17.5 minutes a game while shooting 29.7 percent.

Yeah, he's not playing great... but he's getting paid $3.5M per to not play great. Why retire?

Some players like to go out with a little more dignity. Plus he could easily land a TV gig somewhere and continue to make plenty of money.

You don't make 3.5 million a year doing TV unless your maybe Charles Barkley or something after 20 years of branding and I doubt he even makes that.

Pierce has made a lot of money sure. Lots of players have that go broke. This is his last real paychecks to help sustain the lifestyle he's had the last 15+ years for the rest of his life. I can't blame the guy for sticking around and taking the money.

[USER0023942]

Some players like to go out with a little more dignity.

This idealism is the best way to spot the young'ns on the board.

"Dignity" does not matter when you have the opportunity to make millions of dollars a year.

He will weigh whether it's worth it to go through a grueling NBA season for the compensation that he is slated to receive. At some point earning an extra few million is not worth the time spent away from family (or the Caribbean beaches) or the toll on the body. Dignity has absolutely nothing to do with it.

Even guys that take less money to play for a championship do so strategically. Championship run == more exposure. More exposure == more $$ long-term.

[12footrim]

Some players like to go out with a little more dignity.

This idealism is the best way to spot the young'ns on the board.

"Dignity" does not matter when you have the opportunity to make millions of dollars a year.

He will weigh whether it's worth it to go through a grueling NBA season for the compensation that he is slated to receive. At some point earning an extra few million is not worth the time spent away from family (or the Caribbean beaches) or the toll on the body. Dignity has absolutely nothing to do with it.

Even guys that take less money to play for a championship do so strategically. Championship run == more exposure. More exposure == more $$ long-term.

Not only that. Pierce is still in the rotation on a good team and a few months removed from being a key cog on a playoff team which would indicate he's still worthy of being in the NBA at worst. When he's the last man on the bench never playing and being traded around to different teams like Gerald Wallace or someone clearly with no business in the NBA then talk about dignity.

[Pickled Prunes]

Yeah, he's not playing great... but he's getting paid $3.5M per to not play great. Why retire?

Some players like to go out with a little more dignity. Plus he could easily land a TV gig somewhere and continue to make plenty of money.

You don't make 3.5 million a year doing TV unless your maybe Charles Barkley or something after 20 years of branding and I doubt he even makes that.

Pierce has made a lot of money sure. Lots of players have that go broke. This is his last real paychecks to help sustain the lifestyle he's had the last 15+ years for the rest of his life. I can't blame the guy for sticking around and taking the money.

I guess my point was that I don't play great and I do it for free. I like to play. If he still enjoys playing and they are still allowing him to play, why quit? The dignity part is your perspective. From my perspective he's still getting paid to play a game... and at he isn't getting overpaid like some veterans... cough, cough! Pierce at $3.5M is money well spent.

[southern wolf]

Some players like to go out with a little more dignity.

This idealism is the best way to spot the young'ns on the board.

"Dignity" does not matter when you have the opportunity to make millions of dollars a year.

He will weigh whether it's worth it to go through a grueling NBA season for the compensation that he is slated to receive. At some point earning an extra few million is not worth the time spent away from family (or the Caribbean beaches) or the toll on the body. Dignity has absolutely nothing to do with it.

Even guys that take less money to play for a championship do so strategically. Championship run == more exposure. More exposure == more $$ long-term.

Not only that. Pierce is still in the rotation on a good team and a few months removed from being a key cog on a playoff team which would indicate he's still worthy of being in the NBA at worst. When he's the last man on the bench never playing and being traded around to different teams like Gerald Wallace or someone clearly with no business in the NBA then talk about dignity.

Pierce has barely been getting five minutes a game lately and is only averaging four ppg with horrible shooting percentages, he's not far off Wallace territory. I think he'll retire after this season, unless his role and form changes dramatically.

[12footrim]

This idealism is the best way to spot the young'ns on the board.

"Dignity" does not matter when you have the opportunity to make millions of dollars a year.

He will weigh whether it's worth it to go through a grueling NBA season for the compensation that he is slated to receive. At some point earning an extra few million is not worth the time spent away from family (or the Caribbean beaches) or the toll on the body. Dignity has absolutely nothing to do with it.

Even guys that take less money to play for a championship do so strategically. Championship run == more exposure. More exposure == more $$ long-term.

Not only that. Pierce is still in the rotation on a good team and a few months removed from being a key cog on a playoff team which would indicate he's still worthy of being in the NBA at worst. When he's the last man on the bench never playing and being traded around to different teams like Gerald Wallace or someone clearly with no business in the NBA then talk about dignity.

Pierce has barely been getting five minutes a game lately and is only averaging four ppg with horrible shooting percentages, he's not far off Wallace territory. I think he'll retire after this season, unless his role and form changes dramatically.

He was just a big player in the playoffs. You don't just fall off the cliff this hard in a few months unless you are hurt or out of shape. I think it's the later and he will play himself into better shape as the season goes.