Pierce Only Talking With Celtics

Sources: Boston Celtics begin contract talks with Paul Pierce - ESPN Boston

The Boston Celtics and captain Paul Pierce's representatives opened talks on a new contract Thursday and are making progress in negotiations, according sources close to the situation.

While Pierce has received introductory inquiries from "a few" other teams, Boston is the only team he's currently engaged with, sources told ESPN.com.

Multiple sources with knowledge of the team's thinking told ESPN.com on Wednesday that the team believes it will secure a verbal agreement from Pierce before July 8, which is the first day players and teams can execute new contracts.

And don't forget about Ray, Doc hasn't.

Celtics Blog - Boston.com

"I can't go into who but I can tell you we started at 12:01 last night like everybody else did," he said. "The first call we called Ray. We sat around and we have these names on the list and we said hey guys our most important guy is Ray. We gotta get Ray back. Paul and Ray. And we already talked to Paul because we could. Ray is a vital part to our basketball team, huge."

Pierce Headed to Mavericks?

Sports Illustrated's Ian Thomsen told WEEI Radio in Boston that if Paul Pierce doesn't re-sign with the Celtics, he thinks the one team Pierce could end up with is the Mavericks. Said Thomsen: The Mavericks "want to get into the free agency thing in the worst way. And Mark Cuban is trying to get meetings with all the top free agents and let's say he can't get any of those guys -- they have a need at that position and they have stuff to send in a sign and-trade that could help the Celtics going forward." "They could take Rasheed Wallace's contract that's going to be sitting on Boston's cap for the next two years. They could send Caron Butler and Erick Dampier's contract, which vanishes next season. The Celtics would be saving a lot of money and if they realize they can't keep Paul. And that's the only way it happens if they realize they can't keep Paul. That would be a plausible thing. Send him out of the conference and get something you were interested in at the trading deadline to being with."