Pierce's patience--and ours

[Snoopy the Celtics Beagle]

I realize that the stories about Pierce possibly demanding a trade 
barely rise above the level of "yet another pre-draft rumor".

But it occurred to me that if true,  Pierce MAY be right.

He was drafted 10th to a team in serious trouble, then went through 
the dreary lockout season.  He had to shoulder the 
responsibility--ready or not--to be "the man" when Antoine Walker was 
shipped out twice.  He's been stabbed.  He's been pressured from 
every which way.

And yes, sometimes, he lost it, and behaved in a childish manner.

But here he is, eight years after reaching the NBA, and after the 
Lottery disaster, he knows that the C's realistically have little 
chance of reaching the NBA playoffs for at least three years unless 
they acquire a veteran player who can shore up the C's defense.  I'm 
sure Pierce is aware of his defensive deficiencies...but he's been a 
little busy being required to provide 80% of the C's offense for most 
of his Celtics career.  He's getting beat up inside, since other 
teams know with absolute certainty that as soon as their defense 
clamps down, the ball will go to Pierce whether he wants it or 
not.  They can afford to triple down on him most nights because 
they--like everyone else--has little confidence that Pierce's 
teammates can consistently score.  This has been proven in a long 
succession of instances when Pierce was on the bench.

Pierce wants a championship, and he'd also like to be a career 
Celtic.   But absent an increasingly unlikely trade, both won't 
happen.  He knows it.  The owners know it, and Danny Ainge knows 
it.  If you add a solid veteran to Pierce, Jefferson, and Delonte 
West, you have a good chance to make a playoff run.

The problem is, that the only players worth enough to bring that kind 
of veteran are the ones you most need.  Everyone is stuck.  Other 
players don't want to be here--partly because of the weather and the 
dismal lack of respect for the Celtics team--and partly because they 
see what Pierce sees, a team running in place, not great, not 
terrible, just in between.

Repeated efforts to push the C's over the hump to great have failed 
miserably, from trade efforts to the rigged Lottery--and by rigged, I 
mean any system that makes it likelier for the worst team to draft 
4-5 than 1-3 is unfairly designed, and therefore, rigged--and that 
leaves only one direction for the C's to go.

Down.

The team DOES have a good nucleus for the future.  So trade Pierce 
for the remaining building blocks that will reasonably guarantee that 
future.  If the remaining players do well this season, then next 
summer the Celtics are in a prime position to shop for a veteran 
presence, with a team that will be better balanced and possibly a 
legitimate contender for the NBA title.

Personally, I like Pierce.  But if the Celtics can't give him the 
help he needs, then why make him stay, or react angrily if he wants 
to play for a championship?  He wants to win, and he wants to win 
here, but how many chances can he reasonably give Celtics ownership 
before it gets too frustrating?

I think if the C's come roaring out of the gate with whomever they 
get after draft night, Pierce might stay on, and make one more 
try.  But otherwise, it makes sense for him to leave, and it makes 
equal sense for the Celtics to trade him.

Hopefully, it won't come to that, but we'll ALL have to wait and see.

Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
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