Paul Pierce opts out of contract, set for free agency
The Truth is about to hit the open market. After one season with the Washington Wizards, Paul Pierce is once again set to test free agency.
.@paulpierce34 has informed The Players' Tribune that he is opting out of his contract to be a free agent. pic.twitter.com/k9j2Qls6TP
— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) June 27, 2015
The move isn't unexpected, with a report emerging last week that Pierce would likely avoid exercising his $5.5 million-plus player option for the 2015-16 season, and a May report linking Pierce to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The future Hall of Famer signed a two-year deal (including the option) with the Wizards last summer, before averaging 11.9 points, four rebounds, and two assists in 73 games, then playing a key role in the team's postseason run to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The 37-year-old has certainly slowed with age, but he's a wily forward who still scores efficiently in a more limited role, puts forth an honest effort on the defensive end, and seems to always find himself in the spotlight at the game's most critical moments, making him a worthwhile pickup for contenders searching for the elusive final piece of a championship puzzle.
Pierce, who posted a true shooting percentage of 58.0 in 26 minutes per game with the Wizards, also remains a durable option at either forward position, having missed more than 11 games in a season just twice in his 17-year career.
He will enter next season as the NBA's 16th all-time leading scorer, having amassed 25,899 points in his illustrious career, with the top 12 a possibility by year's end should he enjoy a similar statistical season as he did this year.
The longtime Celtics captain spent 15 years in Boston before one-year stops in Brooklyn and D.C., although the Wizards can't yet be ruled out from this year's version of the Pierce sweepstakes.