Post by BCHISTORIAN on Jan 11, 2006 3:20:42 GMT -5
as expected pp clarifies the whole issue:
celtics.bostonherald.com/celtics/view.bg?articleid=120850
Paul Pierce insisted last night his first choice is to remain with the Celtics. Responding to a report in yesterday’s paper quoting him as saying he would be open to a trade if the club approached him, the captain moved to clarify his position last night.
“I said everything in there, but not everything I said got put in,” Pierce said before scoring 27 points in the Celtics’ 98-94 win over the Hawks last night. “I also said I wanted to stay with the Celtics my whole career. I was asked if I would be open to a trade if the Celtics approach me. I just said as a businessman you have to. I have no choice if they come to me. But I’m not going to them.
“If I’m approached with it, of course I’m going to be open. I mean, it’s a business. If the Celtics come to me. . . . but it’s not a situation where I’m going to go to the Celtics. I love being here. I’ve been here my whole career, and I told y’all before, if I could stay with one team my entire career that’s what I would want to do.”
Pierce said he was merely being realistic if presented with the possibility the team would want to move him.
“I mean, what player in the league in my position hasn’t done that?” he said. “You explore your options. It’s the same situation Jason Kidd was in when he was a free agent and he had a chance to go to San Antonio or stay. You get put in different situations. I feel like the rest of the players. I’m going to weigh my options, but, like I said, I don’t want to be a player that’s playing for numerous teams. If I could stay with the Celtics my entire career, then I would love to.”
The issue of a roster change has come to the forefront because the Celtics had lost 7-of-9 games entering last night’s affair.
“I think it’s natural to be frustrated,” Pierce said. “I’m not the only one. All these guys want to win, and when you see how close we are — a possession away in a lot of games — yeah, it’s frustrating for everybody. I’m giving this team as much as I can for as long as I can.
“What you’ve got to understand is I’m frustrated with losing just like everybody else. But I came into this season with the mindset that maybe we might be a young, growing team with our inconsistencies. I didn’t expect us to be at this record, but I expected the inconsistencies from a young and growing team. We have a lot of young and new players that are still trying to find their niche in the league.”
Doc Rivers wasn’t putting much stock in Pierce’s words from the day before.
“I think Paul wants to be a Celtic,” the coach said. “I think he wants to stay here.”
celtics.bostonherald.com/celtics/view.bg?articleid=120850
Paul Pierce insisted last night his first choice is to remain with the Celtics. Responding to a report in yesterday’s paper quoting him as saying he would be open to a trade if the club approached him, the captain moved to clarify his position last night.
“I said everything in there, but not everything I said got put in,” Pierce said before scoring 27 points in the Celtics’ 98-94 win over the Hawks last night. “I also said I wanted to stay with the Celtics my whole career. I was asked if I would be open to a trade if the Celtics approach me. I just said as a businessman you have to. I have no choice if they come to me. But I’m not going to them.
“If I’m approached with it, of course I’m going to be open. I mean, it’s a business. If the Celtics come to me. . . . but it’s not a situation where I’m going to go to the Celtics. I love being here. I’ve been here my whole career, and I told y’all before, if I could stay with one team my entire career that’s what I would want to do.”
Pierce said he was merely being realistic if presented with the possibility the team would want to move him.
“I mean, what player in the league in my position hasn’t done that?” he said. “You explore your options. It’s the same situation Jason Kidd was in when he was a free agent and he had a chance to go to San Antonio or stay. You get put in different situations. I feel like the rest of the players. I’m going to weigh my options, but, like I said, I don’t want to be a player that’s playing for numerous teams. If I could stay with the Celtics my entire career, then I would love to.”
The issue of a roster change has come to the forefront because the Celtics had lost 7-of-9 games entering last night’s affair.
“I think it’s natural to be frustrated,” Pierce said. “I’m not the only one. All these guys want to win, and when you see how close we are — a possession away in a lot of games — yeah, it’s frustrating for everybody. I’m giving this team as much as I can for as long as I can.
“What you’ve got to understand is I’m frustrated with losing just like everybody else. But I came into this season with the mindset that maybe we might be a young, growing team with our inconsistencies. I didn’t expect us to be at this record, but I expected the inconsistencies from a young and growing team. We have a lot of young and new players that are still trying to find their niche in the league.”
Doc Rivers wasn’t putting much stock in Pierce’s words from the day before.
“I think Paul wants to be a Celtic,” the coach said. “I think he wants to stay here.”