ESPN Insider - Pierce to Blazers?

[grndmstr_c]

Pierce's salary isn't unrealistic when balanced against what he brings to the court, so it wouldn't make much sense for Boston to unload his contract in a deal like the one Ford suggests. If the strategy in trying to pry Pierce away is strategy driven, you've got to give them an opportunity to clear either Blount or LaFrentz off the books.

A few years ago people talked about Pierce a little behind, Kobe and T-Mac. How are the Magic doing without T-Mac ?

About 15 games better, actually, though there was more at play than the trade in bringing about the improvement.