CelticsWatch: Pierce is back, just like everyone assumed

Surprising almost no one, the Herald reports that the Celtics and Paul Pierce have reached a preliminary agreement on a deal that will likely keep Pierce in Boston for the remainder of his career. CBS Sportsline says the deal is for four years and $61 million ($15.25 per year, or about $6 million less than his current contract would have guaranteed him). The deal can't be made official until next week, and the two sides are still hammering out some details, but the upshot appears to be that Pierce will get his years in exchange for a more cap-friendly annual salary. One detail still under discussion: whether the fourth year will be guaranteed or a team option (or a mutual option, for that matter). That fourth year might be tough to watch, but in the mean time, this looks like a win for both sides.