Paul Pierce has been retired since 2017 but believes he can still play in the NBA. On the latest episode of the Ticket and the Truth show, the NBA Hall of Famer told former teammate Kevin Garnett that he is eyeing a return to the league and has his eyes set on one team. He said:
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“Man, I could help Dallas [Mavericks], dog, down the stretch. They need that reliable shooter. When Kyrie [Irving] gets into the lane, or Luka Doncic get into the lane. Uncle P in the corner.”
Garnett noted that Pierce has been working out and getting shots up by himself. The 2008 NBA Finals MVP said he’s been itching since scoring 25 points in a game in China during his trip to the country earlier this year. Pierce revealed he’s getting in shape and legitimately believes he can give “something to somebody.” When Garnett asked if he was open to playing abroad, the former Celtics star rejected the idea and claimed he only wanted to play in the NBA.
.@paulpierce34 is still looking for that 10-day contract in February.
Watch Ticket and The Truth on the All The Smoke Productions YouTube. pic.twitter.com/Rf30GpImUD
— SHOWTIME Basketball (@shobasketball) December 28, 2023
Pierce then claimed he’d be ready to play in February 2024, but he had one condition:
“By February, I feel like, ‘S**t. 12 minutes. I can get you. However, you want to play me. But you play me the last three minutes of the game. I can still knock down some big shots for a team that needs that.”
Pierce named the Mavericks and Boston Celtics as teams he’d be willing to suit up for. If Pierce does play in the NBA again, he’d become the oldest player to do it. Nat Hickey, a player who last played in the 1940s, holds the record at 45 years and 363 days.
However, this is still the NBA. With the former player now being 46 years old, he is approximately a decade outside of his prime. The great does deserve credit for holding back and saying he’d only play 12 minutes per game. However, even LeBron James, the epitome of longevity at the moment, likely wouldn’t have the legs on him to play at that age. Compared to him, Paul Pierce has no chance of doing so, whatsoever.
Paul Pierce was one of the best during his time in the NBA
It’s preposterous to entertain the possibility of an NBA team allowing 46-year-old Paul Pierce to play. However, he would have been on the top of every team’s wishlist in his prime.
Pierce, a versatile player who could operate as a shooting guard or small forward, averaged over 25 points in five of his first nine seasons in the league. The Celtics were not competitive in his first eight seasons with the franchise. But when Boston landed Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in the 2007 offseason, Pierce led them to their first championship in 21 years.
He slowed down in his early 30s but was still a reliable player who averaged around 18-19 points per game. He left the Celtics after 15 seasons and became an impactful bench player for the Washington Wizards at age 37. He famously hit a game-winner in Game 3 of the Wizards’ Eastern Conference semi-final series against the Atlanta Hawks.
Pierce was ahead of his time as a shooter. He averaged close to five three-point attempts per game during his 15-year stint with the Celtics. He shot 37% from beyond the arc for Boston, which is pretty good considering the league did not emphasize three-point shooting during his prime. That said, given his shot-making ability, he likely would have been a star in the league today if he was in his prime.
However, his odds of returning to the NBA in 2024 are non-existent. Players like the reliable Austin Rivers and five-time All-Star John Wall are hoping to land a gig in the league to no avail.
A 46-year-old player who retired seven seasons ago will never be allowed to play in the NBA. Pierce’s attempt is commendable, but it’s beyond the realms of possibility.
