Happy Birthday Paul Pierce!

Paul Pierce turns 37 today. Still going strong in the NBA, and with the Bradley Beal injury once again he'll be called upon to carry a heavy load. If there was one Celtic in the past 20 years who should have been a Celtic for Life it's Pierce. Unfortunate it didn't work out that way. A stupid NBA draft system which benefits teams from losing big as opposed to winning as many games as possible was enough incentive for Ainge to trade Pierce (and KG).

Truth of the matter (no pun intended) was that KG was the player Kidd and the Nets really wanted, but they needed to take Pierce as well in order to convince KG to waive his no-trade clause. How much better would that trade have been if the Pierce/Wallace part wasn't included? Losing KG sucked, but he was a Timberwolf as much as a Celtic, so seeing him in another jersey wasn't as bad. With all the hoopla Derek Jeter received this final season, Pierce could have been Boston's Jeter. A player who played his whole 20 year career or so all in one city.

Regardless, Pierce will always be a Celtic and Celtics Life wishes him and his family the best on his 37th birthday.