PonyExpress

There are some tell-tale warning signs regarding Pierce that make me very wary of planning my immediate future around him. He put no effort into keeping his weight down during his stress reaction last season, ballooning to probably 250+. This offseason his notable appearances have been emceeing a celebrity poker tournament at the Playboy mansion and yukking it up with a midget outside of a hollywood hotspot. It is understandable that PP feels deprived of his proper recognition, but I have the impression he may be seeking that recognition with the wrong mindset and in the wrong places. In the end, it is better to be beloved like Don Mattingly than become a Karl Malone carpetbagger. The Truth is, a Celtic resurgence would ultimately give Pierce the recognition he most desires, and the special honor reserved for those who soldier from dusk to dawn. But PP has become blind to that fact after years of losing and the mocking whispers of his peers; He has become unable to see the forest from the bling. Now is the time to deal Pierce and get what we can, before his body and will break down further and his trade value is gone.

scout

As great as a player as he is/was, he was never a 'Celtic'. A few years back someone mentioned him in the same breath as Kobe to Kobe and Kobe shrugged. He probably wasn't in that category, but at the time he was doing it all. Then something happened and the next thing you knew he was being interviewed with a freakin' bandage around his head, WTF. I'm not sure what they could get for him, but I'd be in favor of another low pick if it could be accomplished.

Real World

We don't need to trade him yet, but come the deadline, if we're not lookig to hot, we really have to think about it.

Man thought PE, he looked so fat last year. He's always had a fatty build, which has always led me to believe that he's not a big beleiver in fitness.

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

DarrylS

I agree with the premise, trade Pierce for some mid level players, draft well at #5 and then wait until next year when a lot of big names become available.

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"Being the best doesn't mean you always win. It just means you win more than anyone else".. tweet from Kurt Warner to Tom Brady.

BelichickFan

I don't know, guys, a well used #5 and you guys (I have no team, so the Celtics aren't "we") seem like you could be pretty darn good. Jefferson & Pierce plus Rondo and West both had their moments last year - if you pluck a guy off at #5 who helps now . . . I think you could make a run.

I realize Wade was hurt and other teams had injuries but the Cavs won the conference with LeBron and a bunch of *****. Maybe I'm stupid but I think you guys could make an impact on the playoffs keeping Pierce, using #5 and still have a good looking future.

BradyManny

I'm not too concerned with what a guy does off-the-court or what you're referring to in reference to PP. Pierce is from LA and is active with some celebrity-for-charity type game(s) he does out there, so if he's mixing with celebs right now, that might be what it's about.

Pierce has only matured in the past few seasons. He's only a year removed from one of the best individual seasons by a Celtic in the past twenty years. He turned himself into a complete player who makes his teammates much better.

He's still one of the best 4th quarter players in the league, and if you get into the playoffs, the guy can be an absolute beast.

I would be extremely reluctant to trade PP. It is one of the two options this team has right now. But players like PP don't come around often. Big Al will turn himself into a perennial All-Star, IMO, but I firmly believe that he will never be as good a basketball player a Paul Pierce.

That's why I think we should take one final run with PP before blowing it up and centering things around Al and the other youngsters.

PonyExpress

Sorry it was just a play on words that I thought sounded good. I honestly think you may be giving Pierce a bit too much credit for his maturity. He came out and said he wanted Al traded, didn't keep his weight down, is making all kinds of demands and putting pressure on the front office. Pierce is very concerned with his rep around the league, his celebrity status, his lack of national TV time. I love Pierce's game, but IMO his head is in the wrong place right now from a Celtic perspective. When you accept 20 million a year, you take the good with the bad. Nobody "owes" him anything. PP is a physical freak of nature. He never had to commit himself to the weight room and still played 82 games a season like clockwork. Now he's at an age, like Randy Moss, where he needs to keep himself more focused than ever on one thing: keeping himself in shape and winning games. There are some indications that he may not be doing that. I wonder about pinning all our hopes on a 30 year old whose priorities and allegiance may be wandering.

BradyManny

I don't think I've seen Pierce say he wants Al traded, if he has, I'd be curious to see that quote. He's said that he wants to trade for a established vet, but I think Pierce values Big Al.

Everything Pierce says and wants is what you'd expect from any quality vet on a weak team. You have KG saying it, Kobe saying it. These guys want to win a ring (or in Kobe's case, another ring), and in the NBA, that's a really tough thing to do as on any given season, only a handful of teams have a realistic chance at winning.

Real World

He looked like a blimp last year. He really needs to get his body in shape now that he's going to be 30.

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

PonyExpress

Pierce made those quotes at the end of the season. They were pretty callous. He said, paraphrasing, "Hey I love Big Al, but this team needs vets and if Al can be traded for a star vet I'm for it." It was pretty tactless and I give Al credit for not responding. Al then basically pleaded in the press for another chance, saying (paraphrase): "Just give me and Paul another chance. Together we can bring a title to Boston."