It isn’t easy for an NBA superstar to accept that their career is coming to an end. As a competitor, that drive to be great doesn’t waver, even if their body begins to fail them. Paul Pierce was hit with this unfortunate realization, yet took it in stride. It seemed Chris Paul was doing the same, but this recent situation with the Los Angeles Clippers has proven otherwise. As a result, Pierce looks back on his own final NBA season to provide context for what could’ve gone wrong with CP3 in his instance.
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Of course, everyone has been talking about the Clippers‘ dismissal of Paul only 21 games into the season. Although Paul is no longer the player he once was, he isn’t just an ordinary role player. The 12-time All-Star is arguably the greatest player in the Clippers’ franchise history. He looked to be a part of the Clippers for his final season of his career.
Instead, the Clippers have parted ways with Paul, citing a clash in leadership styles. It isn’t a secret that Paul can be a bit harsh, but it comes from a win-first mentality. Paul Pierce, as a competitor, understands that sentiment extremely well.
“I think sometimes he could overstep,” Pierce said on the No Fouls Given Podcast. “He feels like he’s got a voice, but at the same time, you ain’t the same player either.”
As much as Paul has done for the Clippers organization, that’s the reality of the NBA. Paul was great during his first stint in Los Angeles. However, he didn’t spend his entire career with the team. Udonis Haslem, for example, built a strong rapport with the Miami Heat, allowing him to continue to use his voice even if he wasn’t as impactful on the court.
Pierce was once in a similar position as Paul during his final season. Instead of possibly stepping on anyone’s toes, he decided to take a more laid-back approach.
“In my last year, I was like, my time as being a leader and vocal about that stuff is up. I’m just going to be a presence, and if y’all need me to say something, I will,” Pierce revealed.
At that time, Doc Rivers was the Clippers’ head coach. Rivers also coached Pierce for multiple years on the Boston Celtics, one of which resulted in an NBA championship. Of course, Rivers would certainly grant Pierce the privilege to speak as a leader whenever he deemed fit.
However, Pierce understood he didn’t have that type of jurisdiction as one of the new faces on the team. He allowed Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan to assume the roles of leadership since they were the main stars. They were the ones leading by example.
A lot has changed since Paul was a leader on the Clippers. Now, he can’t produce anywhere close to the rate he once did. Pierce can rationalize how the Clippers felt toward Paul, but even with that in mind, he still can’t push himself to support the team’s decision.
“I don’t think this ended the right way. I get where Chris is coming from,” Pierce added.
Hopefully, Paul’s career doesn’t end in this fashion. Either way, this is an unfortunate look for the future Hall-of-Fame guard and a horrible look for the Clippers as an organization.
