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Sunday, June 12, 2005
Here We Go

Paul is a star in the NBA and that means he gets to play by a different set of rules than the rest of us. He is under contract with the Celtics, but he has quite a bit of leverage he can use. If he wants to kill a trade because he doesn't like the destination team, he can do that. He's learned from the best. Kidd has shown that you can stay as long as you want somewhere, while holding the Get Out Of Jail Free card (trade demand) in your pack pocket. Vince showed that you can make life really difficult on a team if you want to be traded and they don't accomidate you. Mourning showed that getting traded somewhere doesn't mean that you actually have to play there. The list goes on.

So in that light, we have this latest report from Shira Springer that says that Paul is not going to let the Celtics deal him to Portland:

Regardless, don't expect to see Pierce in a Portland uniform. A source close to Pierce said, "Paul will not play for the Trail Blazers." He would not report to Portland, according to the source, and would accept any penalties or fines that resulted.

If Pierce is to be moved this offseason, there are clearly places where he will play and places where he will not.

He always has maintained that he wants to be on a team with a shot at winning a championship. He does not want to play for a team that is rebuilding or has a new coach. Portland is currently interviewing candidates for its head coaching vacancy.

You know, on one hand, I can't blame him. If he has the ability to control his own destiny and look out for himself and his family, then he should work for his own best interests. On the other hand, he signed a contract for a lot of lucre. Nowhere in that contract does it say he gets to chose where he will and will not play.

If the owners know what is good for them, they'll address this issue somewhere in the collective bargaining agreement. Its a bad trend.

# posted by Jeff @ 6/12/2005 08:19:00 PM

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