Former Finals MVP and 10-time All-Star Paul Pierce had some choice words to say about today's growing trend of superstars moving from one team to another.
In a recent question and answer session he had with Brian Robb of the Boston Sports Journal, Pierce cracked down on players' loyalty upon the mention of Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving.
“There is no loyalty to a franchise anymore,” Pierce said. “You are not going to see a player stay with one franchise for 10-15 years. That's the generation we live in. You have to brace for it. Guys want to play with certain teams, they want to play with certain guys they know, their friends. They're showing they have the power.
“You know what? It's hard to really get a read on the players these days,” Pierce said. “There are so many changes being made. Who would have expected Kevin Durant to go to the Warriors? [DeMarcus] Cousins to the Warriors? LeBron [James] to Miami a few years ago? Players are just showing that they have the control and the power to do what they want.”
Pierce spent most of his career in the green and white threads before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets in 2013 when the Celtics opted to look forward to their future and start a rebuilding process under new head coach Brad Stevens.
After losing again in the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors in 2017, Irving demanded a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers in hopes of being the main man of a contending team. He was traded to the Celtics for Isaiah Thomas that summer.
With superstars like DeMarcus Cousins and Kawhi Leonard going to new teams this season, Pierce couldn't help but wonder if team loyalty is still an important factor on why athletes play the game today.
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