Paul Pierce is having his jersey retired on Feb. 11. That also happens to be the day that Isaiah Thomas makes his first return as an active player. Thomas turned down the Celtics’ offer to have a tribute video played for him during the Cavs’ last visit, when he was present but not playing. Thomas wanted to be honored at a game in which he was available to play. Unfortunately, the only matchup that meets that criterion falls on the night of Pierce’s jersey retirement, and Pierce didn’t like the idea of sharing his night with Thomas. The Celtics left the decision up to Pierce, and Thomas agreed to forego his video so that the Celtics could properly honor Pierce. Of course, with all of this drama going on, Pierce’s former teammates have been questioned about how they feel. Unsurprisingly, they’re on Pierce’s side.
Rajon Rondo doesn’t feel that Thomas deserves to be honored at all, regardless of which night:
Rajon Rondo was irked to hear that the Celtics would honor Isaiah Thomas on any night. "What has he done?” Rondo asked. Told that he led the Celtics to the conference finals last year, Rondo remarked, “Oh, that’s what we celebrate around here?”
— Bill Doyle (@BillDoyle15) January 17, 2018
Paul Pierce tells ESPN that Kevin Garnett was also on his side:
“Everyone understood where I was coming from,” Pierce said. “KG was like, ‘Isaiah who? Hell no, you’re damn right you’re not sharing your night with him.'”
Look, I get that these guys are Pierce’s former teammates and want to support him. But this is too far. Isaiah was amazing for the Celtics, and 100 percent deserves to be honored.
