The Washington Wizards are starting to examine potential roster moves as the official offseason slowly approaches. The team will have a nice amount of money they can target a big name with, but first certain moves with current players must happen. Nene might be out in the coming year, while Paul Pierce is sounding like retirement is not as close as many assumed.
When the Wizards were knocked out of the playoffs by the Atlanta Hawks. Pierce told the media he really had no idea if he would be back next year. The star has a player option worth $5.5 million with the Wizards, but he told the Washington Post that he was not sure he really wanted to play basketball anymore. However, now that time has passed, Pierce is not so certain he is ready to walk away from the game just yet.
In an interview with Sirius XM's Mad Dog Sports Radio, Pierce said he would be going on vacation next week and planned to discuss everything over with his family. He wanted to determine the best way to move forward and would have a decision in the coming weeks.
"These seasons, as you get older, they just are so long and draining," Pierce said, via Sirius XM Radio. "This last playoffs really took a lot out of me, not only physically but emotionally, because I think I put so much into the game that it takes a piece of you. It's really all got to do with how my mental state of mind's gonna be this summer. Because I do feel like I can still play this game. I mean, I showed that this year, that I still have something left in the tank. But it's just the mental part of getting ready in the summer and getting ready for a long year. Those are the things I've got to think about."
Pierce is getting attention on the open market while the Wizards are looking at upgrades as well. With question marks surrounding everyone on the roster outside of John Wall and Marcin Gortat in the coming years. the Wizards have big moves in mind. According to the Washington Post, the team has been linked to Greg Monroe and DeAndre Jordan this year and Kevin Durant next year. Meanwhile Otto Porter and Bradley Beal have nothing guaranteed starting next year. Finding out Pierce's future will be the start to several moving pieces for the Wizards.
