Paul Pierce got his way.
Earlier this month, a small feud erupted within the NBA after the Boston Celtics announced they would broadcast a short video tribute for Isaiah Thomas, whom they traded to Cleveland in 2017. The video was supposed to be played on Feb. 11 during the Cavaliers-Celtics matchup in Boston; however, the Celtics had also planned to retire Pierce’s No. 34 jersey on the same night.
Pierce wasn’t cool with sharing the spotlight.
“Danny [Ainge, Boston’s head of basketball operations] and I talked about it for 40 minutes,” Pierce told ESPN earlier this week. “He told me, ‘This is what we have planned,’ and at the end of the conversation, he said, ‘If you don't want us to do Isaiah, we won't.’ So I told him, ‘I really don't.’ So that was it. That's how we left it.”
Shortly after the reported conversation, Thomas sent out a tweet in which he asked Boston to scrap his tribute planned for Feb. 11.
So, that’s the end of the drama, right? Pierce will have the day all to himself now that Thomas has publicly declined the Celtics’ tribute. Though some fans—and players like New Orleans Pelicans point guard Rajon Rondo—have taken Pierce’s side, many other fans have blasted The Truth for appearing petty and selfish. You can check out some of the reactions below.
At this time, it is unclear if Boston will simply reschedule the tribute for another time or if they will abandon it altogether.
