Nets GM not interested in Paul Pierce sign-and-trade with Clippers

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The reported sign-and-trade deal that would have sent Paul Pierce to the Los Angeles Clippers doesn't look like a possibility after Brooklyn Nets general manager Billy King told ESPN his team was not interested.

King confirmed the Clippers reached out to him about a potential transaction between the two teams but there was little to persuade him to pull off such a deal.

"They made a call and inquired, but there's nothing there at this point that makes sense for us," King said.

Since Pierce, an unrestricted free agent, would likely only be an attractive option for teams looking to utilize the mid-level exception option, the Nets have the ability to beat any offer if a team decides to pursue that route since they hold his Bird Rights.

ESPN's sources say the Nets have been in contact with Pierce's agent and that they would prefer to re-sign him to a "$6 million and $8 million" short-term deal.

"We know the number we want to get to, I think they know the number they want to get to," King said. "We're just trying to get to the point where we're all comfortable and I know what we're trying to accomplish, and it's just in the negotiation process. That's all it is. We have the ability to pay him more than everybody else, but we are going to be a little bit more financially responsible at this point in time."