Paul Pierce is no longer considered a marquee free agent and he is slowly learning that the hard way. After announcing that he predicts playing in the NBA for at least two more seasons, the forward is having a hard time finding interested teams. Currently a free agent after a year with the Brooklyn Nets, the veteran is asking for more than teams are willing to give which is putting his future on hold.
The Nets have stated they would certainly love for Pierce to re-sign with the team. Veteran teammate Kevin Garnett is expected to opt into the final year of his contract and many believed that would push Pierce to re-sign as well so the two could end their careers together. However, negotiations with the Nets have not gone well as the team can only offer him so much. General manager Billy King confirmed that finding a middle ground between the two sides as not been an easy task.
"I think we're in the process [of negotiations]," King said via ESPN New York 98.7 FM's "The Michael Kay Show." "We know the number we want to get to, I think [Pierce and his agent] know the number they want to get to. We're just trying to get to the point where we're all comfortable and I know what we're trying to accomplish, and it's just in the negotiation process. That's all it is. We have the ability to pay him more than everybody else, but we are going to be a little bit more financially responsible at this point in time."
Pierce is reportedly requesting a contract worth $9-10 million while the Brooklyn Nets are looking to offer a short-term contract worth $6-8 million. The Nets simply cannot afford to go much higher considering they ended up losing $144 million this past season due to the luxury tax. While the team is not afraid to push those boundaries, they ideally are not looking to sacrifice that money again.
There is still the chance that the Nets could strike together a sign-and-trade with the Los Angeles Clippers. Pierce likes the idea of uniting with Doc Rivers. The Nets would receive a trade package that could include Matt Barnes and Jared Dudley. Brooklyn just pulled off a three-team deal that has them acquiring Jarrett Jack and Sergey Karasev from the Cleveland Cavaliers while sacrificing Marcus Thornton. The move is more to acquire a point guard to replace Shaun Livingston than anything else. As of now that looks to be the only trade Brooklyn is willing to pull off. The team is not interested in helping the Clippers get one of their free agents.
