Paul Pierce understands exactly what it takes to climb to the top of the NBA’s mountain. He performed the feat in 2008 as the leader of the champion Boston Celtics. As his retirement begins and he moves into a new stage of life, he feels his former team should deal their freshly acquired No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft to get Boston ready for a true title run. AJ Neuharth-Keusch of USA Today has more:
Not only are they in the Eastern Conference finals as the No. 1 seed, but they just landed the No. 1 overall pick in June’s draft thanks to a 2013 trade with the Brooklyn Nets that’s still paying dividends. The only problem? It appears, especially after Wednesday night’s Game 1 rout, that they don’t have nearly enough to get past LeBron James and the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers. Not this year, and judging by James’ continued dominance, probably not next year, either.
This current dilemma, albeit a good one to have, begs the question: Should the Celtics hold on to the pick (likely Washington’s Markelle Fultz) and continue to build for the future, or should they take a more win-now approach and move the pick, along with other assets, for a player like Indiana Pacers forward Paul George or Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler?
If it were up to Paul Pierce — the Celtics legend who just completed a 19-year Hall of Fame career — Boston would go with the latter.
“You trade this pick, because he cannot help the Celtics get over the top,” Pierce said while making an appearance on The Jump Wednesday afternoon. “The window is now. … You’re a 50-win team, you’re the No. 1 seed. You have to build on this momentum. If you can acquire a Paul George a Jimmy Butler or a Gordon (Hayward) from Utah, you have to do it.”
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Hayward — who played college ball under Celtics coach Brad Stevens at Butler — can opt out of his contract and test the unrestricted free-agency waters this summer, but the Jazz have a bit of an upper hand, as they’re able to offer him a more lucrative five-year deal as opposed to a team like Boston.
“I would try to persuade Gordon to sign as a free agent,” Pierce said. “You don’t have to trade for him. You go out, you try to get Gordon. Now, you have a chance with the No. 1 pick to try to acquire Jimmy Butler or Paul George, you go for it. You need these guys. You want to get over the top. Boston doesn’t praise winning the Eastern Conference. They’re going for a championship.”
