Don't expect Paul Pierce to join Kobe and Duncan in retirement

The retirement of Tim Duncan ensures that the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame will enshrine a very high-profile class in 2020. Duncan and Kobe Bryant are two of the best basketball players of all time and defining players of the NBA’s post-Michael Jordan era. Their certain first-ballot entry into the Hall of Fame will be a major event sure to bring out plenty of legends of the sport.

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A new report indicates that they are not likely to be joined one of the other leading players of the past 20 years. Future Hall of Famer Paul Pierce, set to turn 39 years old before the start of the 2016-17 season, plans to play for the Los Angeles Clippers for at least one year.

Pierce is under contract for a little more than $3.5 million for 2016-17, so his retirement decision will be made with full knowledge of what he stands to earn if he sticks around. If he does opt to return, it’s unlikely that he will be a major part of the Clippers’ plans. Pierce played 68 games last season and shot just 36.3 percent from the field and 31.0 percent from long range in 18.1 minutes per appearance. Those shooting numbers were not nearly good enough to justify Pierce’s poor defense, which is part of why he managed only 54 minutes of action in the playoffs even though the injury ravaged Clippers needed all the help they could get.

In terms of pure impact, then, Pierce’s likely return does not mean much. But it’s still worth thinking about, because The Truth’s current status splits the difference between where Duncan and Bryant stood when they left the league. Ever adaptable and self-effacing, Duncan became less and less important to the San Antonio Spurs’ plans while simultaneously maintaining his dignity and reputation. Kobe refused to view himself as anything less than a superstar, remained one of the most discussed players in the sport, and saw himself derided as a has-been unable to come to terms with the aging process.

Pierce is somewhere in between. Like Bryant, he plays in generally the same way he always has and doesn’t appear ready to change dramatically any time soon. On the other hand, like Duncan, he seems perfectly comfortable deferring to teammates and taking less and less responsibility as his talents diminish.

More players follow Pierce’s path than that of Kobe or Duncan. It’s yet another reminder that those two, while dramatically different, should remain two of the most memorable players in the history of the league.

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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at efreeman_ysports@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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