Paul Pierce Officially opts out of contract

Washington Wizards forward Paul Pierce has officially opted out of his contract with the team, per sources. 

The 37-year-old is entering his 18th season in the league, and is now an unrestricted free agent. He signed a two-year, $11 million dollar contract back in July, which included a player option, essentially giving him the ability to opt out of his deal.

Last season, Pierce had statistically his worst year as a pro, in which he recorded a career low in points (11.90), rebounds (4.0), assists (2.0), steals (0.6) and minutes (26.3). 

Pierce is entering a stage in his career in which he is now a role player, and is not going to be as efficient as he has been in the past. 

Even though his numbers are career lows, they are still reliable stats. Pierce is still capable of being an above average player in the NBA, but he may need to step down from the starting role to do so. 

He is getting older, and teams cannot rely on him to carry a large amount of playing time in the future.

The newest free agent will have to choose where he will be playing next season. Many speculate he may rejoin the Wizards on a new contract, while numerous reports believe he will join Doc Rivers and the Los Angeles Clippers.  

Pierce played under Rivers’s command for nine seasons back when he coached the Boston Celtics. Pierce and Rivers had a special chemistry, in which the two led the Celtics to a national championship, and propelled the team to being contenders practically every year- with the help of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen of course.  

Pierce would fit in the Clippers system very well, and would be a reliable role player, providing newly acquired Lance Stephenson some extra rest during games. 

The Clippers have expressed interest in Pierce, and the feeling has reportedly been mutual. Pierce could very well end up rejoining Doc Rivers, but this time, in Los Angeles.

Even though many signs suggest Pierce will don a Clippers uniform next season, he is still likely to stay in Washington. He has spoke on the subject, and sounds optimistic on the current situation in Washington. Dan Steinberg reported :

Paul Pierce this week: "We really have a really good young team…I thought we were better than Atlanta…I really like our team."

— Dan Steinberg (@dcsportsbog) June 5, 2015

Pierce was a big contributor in Washington, and proved to be a reliable role player. He was a major factor for the Wizards during the postseason, and was a menace against the Hawks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. 

His veteran leadership and experience contributed greatly to the Wizards game plan. The Wizards have an edge this offseason when it comes to Pierce, as they can offer him about $1.1 Million more than he made last season, which is much more than any other team would be able to pay the veteran. 

His value to the Wizards was notable, and the team will do all they can to keep him for next season.

Pierce is a soon-to-be first ballot Hall-of-Famer, but he is looking to add another championship to his loaded resume. He has won countless awards, and has done more than most players have ever done, but when it comes to selecting where he will play next season, it may come down to who gives him the best chance to win a championship.

Pierce will have a tough decision when it comes down to where he plays in his 18th season, as there are some very good options available for him. 

The Wizards and Clippers are both great teams, and could use Pierce to help them in their journeys to the NBA Finals. 

Pierce turns 38 in October, which means his amount of time left in the NBA is very limited, and he will have to decide where he will choose to play in possibly his last year(s) in the NBA.