NBA Rumors: Paul Pierce to Golden State Makes Sense

The Boston Celtics appear to be in full trading sale mode after the team learned that star point guard Rajon Rondo will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL.  We have highlighted how significant of an injury this is for the Celtics, and it now gives the team even more of an incentive to blow up the current roster and try to gain as many young assets as possible.

One of the team’s biggest trading chips is captain Paul Pierce.  Everyone knows his story – a lifelong Celtic and one of those players you hope remains a Celtics for his whole career.  The problem is that he is a chip the team can use to get younger, and it makes sense to move him before the trading deadline.

The one team that keeps making sense as a possible partner is Golden State.  They have the young talent and bad contracts needed to match up with the Celtics.  The bad contracts are important because the teams need to match up the salary figures in order to execute a deal.  The Warriors couldn’t simply just take Pierce for a rookie making the rookie salary as they wouldn’t have the cap space to afford it.  The Celtics will certainly want either Klay Thompson or Harrison Barnes back in return.

Thompson seems like a long shot as the Warriors organization absolutely loves him, and it’s doubtful they would part with him for only a few years of Pierce.  Barnes seems like the far more likely option for GM Danny Ainge to discuss as he has the type of long term upside the Celtics would desperately be craving.  The Celtics need to gain as many young players as possible between now and the trading deadline, and Barnes is the type of guy that could be a home run acquisition.  His game is very reminiscent of current Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay at a similar stage in their careers.

The Celtics will be very active come trading deadline and Pierce figures to be a guy that finally could be on the move from Boston.

 

Rob Lunder covers the Boston Celtics for Rant Sports.  For all Celtics news go to the team homepage on Rant Sports.  Follow him on Twitter @rlunder18