Clippers Rumors: Paul Pierce to be acquired in sign-and-trade with Nets?
By Josh Hill
The Brooklyn Nets didn’t get to cash in on their big trade with the Boston Celtics this season as they fizzled in just the second round of the postseason when the Miami Heat trounced them in five games.
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As a result, the front office is having to reconsider what to do with the immediate future of the team as they’ve traded their head coach and now must decide if bringing back Paul Pierce or if they’re going to let an interested party like the Clippers swoop in and get him.
According to Ramona Shelburne from ESPN Los Angeles, the Clippers and Nets are having discussions about a sign-and-trade that would send Paul Pierce to Los Angeles and reunite him with head coach Doc Rivers.
"The Los Angeles Clippers have engaged in conversations with the Brooklyn Nets to try to construct a sign-and-trade that would reunite small forward Paul Pierce with Doc Rivers, according to sources with knowledge of the situation."
This has essentially been in the works for a year now as the Clippers tried to acquire Pierce last summer when they got Doc Rivers from the Boston Celtics but were unable to make such a trade happen. Pierce and Kevin Garnett went to Brooklyn in a trade instead but now that Pierce is a free agent and the Nets need assets which means a sign-and-trade is likely going to get done sooner rather than later.