Paul Pierce hints he will retire with Clippers
By Josh Hill
![May 5, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Washington Wizards forward Paul Pierce (34) reacts near the end of the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half in game two of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. The Hawks defeated the Wizards 106-90. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports May 5, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Washington Wizards forward Paul Pierce (34) reacts near the end of the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half in game two of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. The Hawks defeated the Wizards 106-90. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/0ab3159525c91109311cfdc23f419e8806372b09dd7d16ff9056a42c79447490.jpg)
The Los Angeles Clippers are trying to finally win a title that has eluded them forever, and it could be a scenario where Paul Pierce goes out on top.
When Paul Pierce and Doc Rivers embraced each other after their first NBA Finals victory, it was an awe-inspiring moment that basketball fans everywhere couldn’t help but be happy about. It was the culmination of so many years of false start and bitter defeats, and it was a moment we circled back to when the duo divorced in 2013.
Both Rivers and Pierce are back together again in Los Angeles, and it could be the start of their greatest achievement yet in their careers together. If they can win a title for the Los Angeles Clippers, after so many years of suffering not unlike the pain the alleviated in Boston, that would be a crowing achievement to end them all.
In fact, it could be something that Paul Pierce decides to retire on.
According to Pierce, he believes this contract with the Clippers will be his last and he intends on retiring with the team.
Pierce: "This will probably be the last ride of my career. I think this is where I'm going to end it. I'm going to go all in." #GearUpLA
— Rowan Kavner (@RowanKavner) July 21, 2015
This can be viewed more as Pierce retiring with Doc Rivers rather than retiring with the Clippers. Rivers and Pierce go way back, and while a true storybook ending would have seen the duo return to Boston to end their relationship together, this is the best we can hope for.
Then again, this isn’t the firs time that Pierce has said he was going to retire with a team he ended up never retiring with.
Yep its official gonna retire a celtic
— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) July 15, 2010
To be fair, there’s still a chance that he could retire with the Celtics, but that would fly in the face of saying he’s going to retire with the Clippers.
Rivers will likely kick around for a while, as he’s really the only thing holding the Clippers championship window open at the moment. When Rivers leaves, the era ends but that won’t be synched up to when Pierce retires.
At the end of the day, this is more about Pierce finally getting back together with Rivers and reforming the relationship that was the longest professional relationship either of them has had in their careers. They need each other, and while we can wax poetic about what this all means, the results must speak for themselves if Pierce wants his retirement to speak for anything.
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