We know Ray Allen is going to be a free agent come July 1. But will we shortly be saying the same thing about Paul Pierce? Pierce can opt out of the last year of his contract, one that pays him $21.5 million, and become a free agent. He's been a Celtic his entire career, and stuck with the team through the good and the bad. But as we also know, this summer presents a rare situation: Not only do several teams have money to sign a max-contract player, but the new collective-bargaining agreement set for next summer could slash players' salaries significantly. As such, Pierce could decide to opt out this summer, and then re-up with the Celtics for a bigger deal than he might be able to get next summer. There is precedence here: Dirk Nowitzki, a loyal Maverick his entire career, decided to opt out of his contract and will be a free agent this summer. So don't rule it out for Pierce. Source: ESPN Boston
