NBA Trade Rumors: Paul Pierce To Clippers? Reunion With Coach Doc, Homecoming In Los Angeles And Possible Title For The Truth!
The NBA Trade Rumors start to involve some free agents as contenders with no cap space are in negotiations with their home teams. The LA Clippers are targeting Paul Pierce. Everything works for Pierce in this trade, but will the Nets agree?
Pierce had a pretty good season with the Brooklyn Nets, but the possibilities in Los Angeles-which is his hometown, are too enticing. The LA Clippers have his former coach Doc Rivers and he has the chance to win with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.
The only caveat is that the Clippers do not have the salary cap space to sign him outright. Thus, they have to convince the Nets of a sign and trade deal. From ESPN:
"The Los Angeles Clippers have engaged in conversations with the Brooklyn Nets to try to construct a sign-and-trade that would reunite small forward Paul Pierce with Doc Rivers, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
Rivers, the Clippers' president and coach, has had several conversations with Pierce since he became a free agent July 1."
The third party that they have to appease makes it tricky. The exact breakdown:
"..the Clippers could simply sign Pierce as a free agent using their midlevel exception at $5.3 million, (but) they are interested in pursuing sign-and-trade scenarios that would allow Brooklyn to get something in return for the 10-time All-Star and because the Clippers already have so many small forwards.
Because Brooklyn holds his Bird rights, a sign-and-trade also would allow Pierce -- who made $15.3 million last season -- to sign for more than the midlevel exception."
Pierce can still command a little more than $ 5.3 million. Also, the Clippers want to unload the logjam at the three spot.
The problem is, the Nets are not taking the rumored package of Jared Dudley, Matt Barnes and Reggie Bullock.
If push comes to shove, perhaps Pierce will just take the midlevel exception and the Clippers could make a salary dump trade somewhere else.