As ESPN’s Marc Stein first reported, Paul Pierce will opt out of the final year of his contract, which will make him a free agent on July 1. While Pierce is leaving $21.5 million on the table, he is setting himself up for a longer deal before a new collective bargaining agreement is in place following next season.

The move, while not unexpected, makes Danny Ainge’s life a little more difficult as he attempts to bring back the core of the Celtics team for another run. The Celtics still retain Bird rights on Pierce and Ray Allen, which allows them to go over to the cap to re-sign both of them.

That remains the best course of action for Ainge. Despite their status as free agents, Pierce and Allen are still tied to the Celtics cap in the form of cap holds at around $20 million each until they sign a new deal. The Celtics would have to renounce both players, as well as the remaining six free agents on the roster, in order to get significantly under the cap to pursue free agents.

There is a chance that a team like the Clippers, Nets or Knicks could make a run at Pierce if they fail to sign LeBron James.

The big question on new deals for Pierce, and for Allen, is the length. Ainge would prefer to tie everything back to Kevin Garnett’s contract, which has two years remaining, but he may be forced to go to three, or even four years in Pierce’s case.

Still left to be determined before the start of free agency is whether Doc Rivers will return to coach the team, which may also have an impact on whether Pierce and Allen want to return.

27 Comments for “What Paul Pierce’s opt out means for the Celtics”

1. dave Says:
   June 30th, 2010 at 7:33 am

   blow it up , and start rebuilding

2. Gordon Says:
   June 30th, 2010 at 7:47 am

   Agreed, blow it up. No sense in delaying the inevitable. This team had its chance last year, going to 7 games against the Lakers was impressive but they will not be able to repeat that feat again. I don’t think it needs to be a huge rebuild anyways. Pierce will want a 3 year deal at least. No Way Danny, Don’t do this! Let him walk. Him and Rondo obviously aren’t on the same page. Its Rondo’s team now.

3. Loyal Fan Says:
   June 30th, 2010 at 8:30 am

   Start looking at sign and trades for both. I don’t want to come in fourth place…I want to win championships and rebuild. There is no joy in the middle.

4. wazza Says:
   June 30th, 2010 at 8:54 am

   totally agree…ray ray n pierce arent getting any younger and this team has run its course…blow it up and start rebuilding around rondo

5. santos Says:
   June 30th, 2010 at 9:11 am

   mark recchi done too? i guess so because he can only out play 25yr olds! i wonder if some people on these blogs ever competed at anything other than horse shit ,whoops i mean horse shoes.

6. StuAndrews Says:
   June 30th, 2010 at 10:16 am

   Paul P. is a very good player. He is not one of the greatest players of all time, probably does not crack the best 10 Celts over history list. He has several more good years left.

7. Ed G Says:
   June 30th, 2010 at 10:45 am

   For You People who want to BLOW IT UP. Are You willing to Pay high prices to see a losing Basketball Team. Remember Before the Celtics Got Garnett
   Everybody wanted Them to keep Jefferson, He was Young Can Score.Well Al Jefferson made soon be Looking at His third Pro Team soon.
   The Celtics I think My have one More shot with this Group. I know They are OLD But did we think they would be playing the Lakers this June.
   When they rebuild it will be around Rondo in Two Years.

8. JP Says:
   June 30th, 2010 at 10:54 am

   i’ve read multiple articles on the capology of the nba and do not understand why not just renounce their rights to all FA’s including pierce and allen. if they do so they will free up something like 40mm.

   then they can go after just any of the players on the top 10 FA list- go get D Wade and Bosch.

9. FW Says:
   June 30th, 2010 at 11:46 am

   Try and keep all both, players like Wade are not coming to Boston. I would like to see the team pick up a player like Boozer to compliment Pierce, Allen and Garnett. If Perkins didn’t get hurt the team might have won. It’s a little to early to start over.

10. Sean Says:
    June 30th, 2010 at 12:19 pm

    Sign Pierce to a team friendly deal for 3 yrs 40 million, if he doesn’t want to let him walk. Let Allen go unless he wants to make like 5-8 mill a yr. I would really like to add Rudy Gay but hes restricted and Memphis wants to keep him. They need to make a move for a serious young player that can produce now and in the future with Rondo. If they let the FA frenzy die down there will be a lot of secondary FA and roll players that wont get the money they were looking for and want to go to the Cs for a little less than than sign with a bad team.

11. Lee Donald Says:
    June 30th, 2010 at 1:40 pm

    REBUILD THE TEAM – GO AFTER LEBRON.

12. Old Celtic Says:
    June 30th, 2010 at 2:26 pm

    Let Pierce go – his best days are behind him – get D Wade – there’s an NBA player.

13. Realist Says:
    June 30th, 2010 at 4:03 pm

    Bottom line is this team didn’t win it this year and they aren’t going to win it next year. Do you all think for some reason they will get better after getting a year older? They won’t. Blow it up and start over when you have a young PG who you can build around. LeBron, Wade, Bosh, they aren’t coming here, but you can build a very good team with guys like Boozer and Gay and Stoudamire. Let the old guys go, getting sentimental gets you losses.

14. Bill Says:
    June 30th, 2010 at 4:58 pm

    Let him walk;, however, don’t be surprised if no one wants him. His age, his knees, his airs – these characteristics really limit his value.

15. Finkle Says:
    June 30th, 2010 at 8:10 pm

    PP is THE most over rated Celtic all time…
    The fact that he’s considered a star speaks of how sub par his teams have been (sorry, even the ’08 team doesn’t hold up to ANY of the former 16 championship teams).
    He’d be doing the team a BIG favor by leaving and I’d be glad to see him go.

16. Mike Says:
    June 30th, 2010 at 9:41 pm

    4 years at $96 mil? I think not. As for Santos…….Recchi is a rare exception, not the rule. 40 points isn’t exactly superstar status. Garnet just isn’t the same. To answer your cheap schoolyard taunt—all-star hockey, with one year in Canada, all-star baseball(15 strikeouts per game), starting QB and a 6 handicap golfer. Need more?

17. Dean Says:
    June 30th, 2010 at 9:53 pm

    Glad to see him go! It was clear that Doc was directing his “NO HERO BALL” remarks to Paul during the timeouts in the finals. He gives the Celtics tradition a bad name with his thuggish pre-game dice rolling antics & gang symbols. GROW UP and act like a professional! I also sense his jealousy about Rondo taking control of this team. HE IS NOT EVEN ON THE TOP TEN CELTICS OF ALL-TIME LIST, NEVER MIND THE NBA.

18. john Says:
    June 30th, 2010 at 9:59 pm

    pierce is a great defensive player and a geat rebounder. not many small forwards can do what he does. but he cant score like he used to. cant take it to the rim and finish. if theres any way we can get lebron, you have to do it. can we start a donation? lebron you want a ring? come to boston. you can beat kobe every june.

19. bosoxyaz8 Says:
    June 30th, 2010 at 10:30 pm

    Dont blow it up. we went to the finals remember ?

20. Jim Says:
    July 1st, 2010 at 10:19 am

    For those who want to blow it up, I’ll offer the cautionary tale of the Chicago Bulls, post Michael. They blew it up, stocked up on draft choices and have wandered in the wilderness since then. Now they have a better team, but are only slightly closer to title than the Celts were with Al, West and Gomes.

21. Sean Says:
    July 1st, 2010 at 4:34 pm

    If Paul is gone what I am hoping for is this Brad Miller,KG,Rudy Gay, Rondo and Ray starting five with JJ Reddick coming off the bench, Ryan Gomes Tony Allen and the rest of the B-Team

22. Kurt Says:
    July 1st, 2010 at 5:30 pm

    They need to let Ray Allen walk. He had the worst defensive player in Fisher covering him and missed too many open shots. The celtics would’ve won game 7 easily despite the home cooking by the refs if Allen hits open shots. Trade the Wallace contract. I think you keep Pierce if you can sign him to a 2-3 year max contract. You have Garnett’s contract for 2 more years. I like the fact they’re looking at Morrow, he is only 25 and can shoot. Celtics need more consistency from the 2 guard.

23. MR. MAJESTIC Says:
    July 1st, 2010 at 8:59 pm

    96 MILLION FOR 4 YEARS OF PAUL PIERCE….THE GUY THAT COULDN’T CREATE HIS OWN SHOT AGAINST RON ARTEST,THIS DEAL WILL HURT THIS TEAM IN YEARS 3 AND 4 OF THE CONTRACT,AINGE SHOULD REALLY THINK ABOUT ALL OPTIONS BEFORE SIGNING PAUL,AS FOR RAY ALLEN,LET HIM LEAVE.DON’T THINK IAM RIGHT,WATCH GAME 5,6 AND 7 OF THE FINAL’S.RAY ALLEN COULDN’T HIT A 3 POINTER TO SAVE HIS LIFE,LET RAY WALK WAY TO INCONSISTENT!!!!

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