NBA Free Agency 2015: Paul Pierce Uncertain About Future With Washington Wizards

Paul Pierce deciding to join the Washington Wizards this past summer was arguably the most surprising move of the off-season.

After beating the Chicago Bulls in the first round of last year’s NBA Playoffs, Pierce believed that Washington had what it took to become a top team in the Eastern Conference.

We’re just a day removed from the game, but Washington’s season has come to an end at exactly the same date it did last year.

The Wizards failed to beat the Indiana Pacers in the semi-finals last year and repeated the defeat last night against the first seed Atlanta Hawks in six games.

While they didn’t make any progress in terms of where they finished the season, the Wizards took tremendous steps forward in developing a number of their key players during the playoffs.

Pierce’s heroics were seen in the first round against the Toronto Raptors, where he single-handedly trolled Drake’s squad to submission in four games, and it was also seen after he knocked down a buzzer beating dagger in Game-3 against the Hawks.

He also hit a ridiculous three point shot during the final moments of Washington’s elimination game, which was later retracted because the time expired before the ball left Pierce’s hands.

With that said, Ernie Grunfeld and Co. will now look towards the off-season, more importantly the NBA Draft and free-agency. Adding players they covet during free agency will be a goal, but retaining their key pieces is also a priority.

Paul Pierce is one of those key players. At 37-years-old, though, Pierce doesn’t know if he wants to continue playing basketball:

"“I don’t know if I’m even going to play basketball anymore. These seasons gets harder and harder the older you get,” said Pierce after completing his 17th. “It’s tough rolling out of that bed every year, every day. Summers get even harder when you start getting back in shape. I’m 37 years old. … It’s a lot of things I’ll talk to my family about and just figure out from there. I love my time in Washington. It’s a lot to think about right now.”"

It’s not uncommon for an elder statesman like Paul Pierce to question his future, but for someone who’s accomplished so much, does it really make sense to return for another year?

Other veterans around the league play because they’re yearning for a chance at a championship. But, the truth of the matter is (no pun intended), Paul Pierce has done everything one could dream of as a professional basketball player.

He’s won a championship. He’s won a finals MVP. He’s been the franchise player. He’s played with future Hall-of-Famers like Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. There’s not much else to accomplish.

Of course, Pierce was just an hour removed from hitting what could’ve been one of the most important shots of his career, only to learn that it didn’t count.

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Pierce sounded like a player who wanted to retire after such a disappointing loss, but that could change after he gets the itch to play basketball again.

Paul Pierce has a player-option for next season and could opt-in, choosing to return to the Washington Wizards, or opt-out.

If he opts-out, Pierce could still return to the nation’s capital, but he’ll also have the option to join another team.

He was linked to the Los Angeles Clippers before they signed Spencer Hawes, so perhaps that will become an option again. Or, he could play one more season with the Boston Celtics, who surprised everyone this season by becoming a playoff team.

Another option for Pierce is retiring from playing, but not from the game. Pierce has already thought about joining a coaching staff or becoming a member of a front office:

"“I’m not sure, man. I like to keep my options open,” Pierce said. “Coaching could be in my future. I think I still have a lot left to give this game. I always find myself talking to the guys. When we’re going through scouting, I’m giving out pointers. A lot of the assistants say, ‘Man, you’ve got a lot to give this game after you’re done.’ So whether it’s coaching or being a general manager, it’s something I think about.”Whatever he decides to do, Paul Pierce is going to have plenty of options.Washington would love to have Pierce back, even though he obviously wasn’t able to play at an All-Star level like he’s done in the past. He gave Washington another look on the floor by providing spacing and confidence, but his leadership off the floor was perhaps even more important.Bradley Beal and Otto Porter, specifically, benefited from having Pierce as a mentor. Porter looked like a lottery pick during the playoffs and Beal played at an All-Star level. Their confidence skyrocketed and it wouldn’t have without Pierce’s presence in the locker room.If last night was the last time we see Paul Pierce rock a red-white-blue Washington Wizards uniform, it was still an amazing ride. Pierce was everything Washington needed and his impact is going to be felt years from today.Would you like Paul Pierce back next season? Let me know in the comments section:Next: Appreciating John Wall's GreatnessPublished on 05/16/2015 at 5:56 PM EDTLast updated on 05/16/2015 at 5:56 PM EDT “I’m not sure, man. I like to keep my options open,” Pierce said. “Coaching could be in my future. I think I still have a lot left to give this game. I always find myself talking to the guys. When we’re going through scouting, I’m giving out pointers. A lot of the assistants say, ‘Man, you’ve got a lot to give this game after you’re done.’ So whether it’s coaching or being a general manager, it’s something I think about.”"