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.