NBA Free Agency Update – Pierce Joins Nowitzki In Opt Out

You can add another big name to the list of summer free agents. Paul Pierce, the leader of the Boston Celtics, has opted out of his contract but NBA rumors persist that the small forward is going to resign with his now former team. You can’t necessarily say the same about Dirk Nowitzki, who has served notice to Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks.

Pierce was due to make $21.5 million in the 2010-11 NBA betting season, but now the Celtics are undergoing a drastic makeover. Ray Allen and Nate Robinsons’’ contracts expired and Rasheed Wallace announced his retirement. The Celtics still owe $18.8 to Garnett in 2010-11 and Rondo will be around to fall asleep in the fourth quarter for $9 million next season.

What the Celtics are likely to do is restructure a four-year deal for Pierce that could make him up to $96 million. Don’t expect the team to go that high in the price, especially with Pierce at 32-years old already. He’ll likely resign with the only team he’s every played for to give them cap relief by signing for a yearly salary of $17-19 million.

There is a small chance that Pierce could suddenly bolt the Bean Town area for a new team, but he’s a loyal guy and a hero to the Celtics fans. The guy that might actually screw over his former team is Dirk Nowitzki.

The sharp shooting German was also due $21.5 million in 2010-11 but instead opted out. It’s unclear what his real intentions are, and while everyone in and around Dallas is committed to the idea of him staying, I’m not so quick to trust anybody from German.

Rumors persist that Nowitzki is actually testing to the Phoenix Suns to see if they’ll offer him a contract to play with Steve Nash. Knowing that he will sign for less money than the four-year max offers ($90+ million) for players in his position, the Suns could land Dirk and use that as a reason to keep Amar’e Stoudemire while still offering him a max contract.

The other possibility for Dirk is a possible signing in New York. He’d thrive in the “7 seconds or less” offense, and could join forces with another superstar like Amar’e, Boozer or even LeBron. The Knicks are sweating desperate drops these days and if they miss out on the Big 3 (Bosh, Wade, LeBron) they might get so desperate that they drop the godfather offer in Dirk’s lap. Could he refuse?

Either way you cut it, the first shoe that has to drop belongs to a King. But with Pierce and Nowitzki dangling out there as well, the free agent pool is getting deeper and far more interesting than we could have possible hoped.