Just a quick cut and paste from ESPN:
I'm hearing ...
That Portland and Boston engaged in some exploratory trade talks last spring on a deal that would have featured Paul Pierce and Zach Randolph swapping teams, in spite of the fact their salaries don't come close to matching. Some six months later, while small-for-big certainly must hold some appeal for the Celtics, Pierce is going nowhere as an all-but-untouchable. The Blazers, of course, wouldn't even consider trading Randolph -- especially for a swingman, even a swingman as good as Pierce -- if not for concerns about his off-court comportment. Skill-wise he's a franchise player, but the Blazers, as you know, are intent on building around especially skillful good citizens ...
And that Gary Payton will be in training camp with the Celtics, even though he hasn't officially notified them yet. Which means Boston, if nothing else, will have one of the most interesting teams in the East, with Payton and Ricky Davis flanking Pierce for new coach Doc Rivers. Throw in Mark Blount and a rehabilitated Raef LaFrentz and, again, Boston looks interesting at the very least after several months of Danny Ainge-bashing ...