Pierce refused to speculate on whether or not he’d retire this summer.
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Los Angeles Clippers small forward Paul Pierce may to be readying himself for one final run at a second National Basketball Association championship ring before he heads into retirement.
Rivers, who was Pierce’s coach when he won the National Basketball Association championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008, told ESPN that plans were already laid in case Pierce makes up his mind with his retirement.
Marreese Speights, from the Warriors, and Alan Anderson joined in free agency to strengthen LA’s squad depth even more, and if both Paul and Griffin can stay healthy there is no reason why the Clippers cannot challenge in 2017. The veteran small forward, who joined the team last season to reunite with coach Doc Rivers, recorded the lowest numbers in his 18-year National Basketball Association career, averaging 6.1 points in 68 games. Pierce himself has said that he’s been “50/50” while weighing up the option of either walking away or hanging around another year with the Los Angeles Clippers, so it isn’t too surprising to hear his feelings in the latest update.
According to the Los Angeles Daily News, Pierce is planning on playing in 2016-17 for the Los Angeles Clippers. But he is now 16th in National Basketball Association history in points scored, and even another season like 2015-16 would be in line to put him 12th on that list. He also only played 18 minutes per game (another career low).
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Pierce spent the first 15 seasons of his career with the Boston Celtics, after being drafted 10th overall out of Kansas in 1998. Rivers coached the 10-time All-Star in Boston for nine years and the two won an National Basketball Association championship in 2008. In 2010, they reached the NBA Finals for the second time but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 6.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.1 triples per game for the year. Last year, he signed with the Clippers with the desire to achieve another championship with Rivers.
