Pierce signed for 6 years.

["James A. Hill" <jahill@leasingservice.com>]

FYI, <Jim

Report: Celtics, Pierce Agree to 6-Year Extension


Updated: Tue, Jul 31 1:51 PM EDT


BOSTON (Reuters) - The Boston Celtics have signed their leading scorer Paul
Pierce to a six-year contract extension, according to a newspaper report.

Tuesday's Boston Globe said the extension, which takes effect after next
season, would be worth more than $85 million and could be announced as soon
as Wednesday.

The 6-foot-6 swingman, nicknamed "The Truth" by Lakers star Shaquille
O'Neal, has flown from his home in the Los Angeles area to Boston for the
announcement, the newspaper said.

The exact amount of the extension will not be known until next summer when
the salary cap for the 2002-03 season is set.

Pierce, who has completed three seasons with Boston, will earn $2.05 million
next season.

Pierce led the team scoring with 25.3 points per game last season, the
eighth best in the league.

He was the only Celtic to play all 82 games, despite suffering stab wounds
during a robbery at a Boston nightclub shortly before training camp.

Boston made Pierce the 10th draft pick in 1998 after his junior year at
Kansas.

The Celtics finished fifth in the seven-team Atlantic Division last season
with a 36-46 record. They last reached the playoffs in 1995, having missed
the last six post-seasons.

Wednesday is the first day under the NBA's collective bargaining agreement
that allows teams to negotiate contract extensions for the 2002-03 season.