Rivers has plans in place for Pierce to one day retire with Celtics
When "The Truth" Paul Pierce inevitably decides to walk away from the game of basketball, Los Angeles Clippers head coach and president of basketball operations Doc Rivers will ensure he does so as a member of the Boston Celtics.
"If Paul decides to retire, then we're going to make sure that Boston picks him up for one day and he retires a Celtic, because that's what he should retire as," Rivers, who coached Pierce in Boston, said during an appearance on "The Vertical Podcast" on Thursday, according to ESPN's Chris Forsberg. "So we have all that in place. We just don't know what he's going to do."
While recent reports have the 38-year-old veteran leaning towards returning for the 2016-17 season in Los Angeles, Rivers said that Pierce is still going "back and forth" with his decision.
"I think he deserves it. From a team perspective, you would love that he made his decision eight weeks ago. I think there are certain guys that you just have to give time to, and Paul's one of them," Rivers added.
Pierce was selected 10th overall by the Celtics in the 1998 draft, playing 15 seasons with the organization before moving on to the Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, and then the Clippers last year.
His long tenure in Celtic green has him near or at the top of most statistical categories in franchise history. Pierce ranks third in games played (1,102), second in points (24,021), seventh in rebounds (6,651), fifth in assists (4,305), and first in steals (1,583).
The 10-time All-Star will make $3.5 million next season and $3.7 million in 2017-18, although only $1 million is guaranteed.