Can the face of a franchise realistically take a non-starting reduced role

[Moranis]

I know guys like Kobe, Duncan, Dirk, and even a Paul Pierce can physically go to the bench and reduce their roles on their present teams, but I am not sure it is really practical.  Also, I can't even think of a situation where the face of a franchise took a non-starter role with that team at the end of his career.  And yeah I know guys like Shaq, Iverson, etc. took non-starting and/or very reduced roles at the end of their careers, but it was never with the team they were the face of the franchise of.  It just seems there is too much pride, history, etc. for it to be a workable situation.  The player either needs to retire or move to another team where the history isn't there or that has an established starter.  I mean if Pierce went to the bench because the Celtics were starting Lebron James, that would be one thing, but for Pierce to go to the bench so a guy like Jeff Green could start, just doesn't seem like a good situation.  In other words, I just can't see a situation where Pierce, Garnett, and maybe even Allen would take a non-starting role going forward with the Celtics.  They either need to start or need to move on.  Thoughts?

[hpantazo]

Sure he can, especially on the celtics, the team ripe in the tradition of the 6th man (Havlicek, McHale). Plus, it's not who starts the game, but who finishes it. If Iverson had agreed to come off the bench he would have had a much more graceful and enjoyable exit from the NBA.

[Eja117]

I think some guys like Reggie Miller and Patrick Ewing have done it, and if done well it can be done

[chambers]

Pierce is not the face of the Celtics anymore, Rajon Rondo is the face of the Celtics.
But there are only 5 or so players in the league that might start over him at the 3 spot, so I doubt his game will have declined that much next year.

 Rondo is the face of the Celtics now and Pierce could easily come off the bench next season. Depends where our scoring comes from, if we have a scoring center+scoring shooting guard+scoring power forward it might pay to have Pierce come in off the bench and score 15 every night a la James Harden, Jamal Crawford, Mo Williams etc...

[CelticG1]

Pierce is not the face of the Celtics anymore, Rajon Rondo is the face of the Celtics.
But there are only 5 or so players in the league that might start over him at the 3 spot, so I doubt his game will have declined that much next year.

 Rondo is the face of the Celtics now and Pierce could easily come off the bench next season. Depends where our scoring comes from, if we have a scoring center+scoring shooting guard+scoring power forward it might pay to have Pierce come in off the bench and score 15 every night a la James Harden, Jamal Crawford, Mo Williams etc...

Pierce is the franchise. You wouldn't say Bynum is the face of the lakers would you?

[Who]

I don't think it makes sense for Pierce or Garnett to come off the bench so I am not concerned with this issue.

I don't think there is any problem with bringing Ray Allen off the bench if Doc so wishes.

[chambers]

Pierce is not the face of the Celtics anymore, Rajon Rondo is the face of the Celtics.
But there are only 5 or so players in the league that might start over him at the 3 spot, so I doubt his game will have declined that much next year.

 Rondo is the face of the Celtics now and Pierce could easily come off the bench next season. Depends where our scoring comes from, if we have a scoring center+scoring shooting guard+scoring power forward it might pay to have Pierce come in off the bench and score 15 every night a la James Harden, Jamal Crawford, Mo Williams etc...

Pierce is the franchise. You wouldn't say Bynum is the face of the lakers would you?

To us Celtics fans Pierce is the franchise.
To the NBA and the majority of NBA fans(casual, uneducated basketball wise fans) Rondo is the face of the franchise. It's Rondos team now.

Kobe is the leading scorer in the NBA still portrays him as the face of the franchise. The NBA does not portray Bynum as the face of the Lakers.

[wdleehi]

If there was a guy who was now better then Pierce, then yes, it could happen.


The Celtics do not have that guy.  Green is not that guy. 

[CelticG1]

Pierce is not the face of the Celtics anymore, Rajon Rondo is the face of the Celtics.
But there are only 5 or so players in the league that might start over him at the 3 spot, so I doubt his game will have declined that much next year.

 Rondo is the face of the Celtics now and Pierce could easily come off the bench next season. Depends where our scoring comes from, if we have a scoring center+scoring shooting guard+scoring power forward it might pay to have Pierce come in off the bench and score 15 every night a la James Harden, Jamal Crawford, Mo Williams etc...

Pierce is the franchise. You wouldn't say Bynum is the face of the lakers would you?

To us Celtics fans Pierce is the franchise.
To the NBA and the majority of NBA fans(casual, uneducated basketball wise fans) Rondo is the face of the franchise. It's Rondos team now.

Kobe is the leading scorer in the NBA still portrays him as the face of the franchise. The NBA does not portray Bynum as the face of the Lakers.

Actually I think if anything casual NBA fans consider Pierce the face. Captain, leading scorer, all-star, drafted by team and been playing for 15the years, finals mvp. I don't see how anyone could think Pierce isn't the face of the franchise

[StartOrien]

While he was still a starter til retirement, David Robinson took on an increasingly reduced role once the Spurs got Tim Duncan. I think it takes a certain type of player, but it can be done.

[hpantazo]

Pierce himself discussed this last year and said he sees himself coming off the bench for the celtics towards the end of his career. Of course, his perspective may have changed with all of the trade rumors this year, but if he's here I see him being happy enough to come off the bench if that's what Doc wants.

[Celtics18]

I know guys like Kobe, Duncan, Dirk, and even a Paul Pierce can physically go to the bench and reduce their roles on their present teams, but I am not sure it is really practical.  Also, I can't even think of a situation where the face of a franchise took a non-starter role with that team at the end of his career.  And yeah I know guys like Shaq, Iverson, etc. took non-starting and/or very reduced roles at the end of their careers, but it was never with the team they were the face of the franchise of.  It just seems there is too much pride, history, etc. for it to be a workable situation.  The player either needs to retire or move to another team where the history isn't there or that has an established starter.  I mean if Pierce went to the bench because the Celtics were starting Lebron James, that would be one thing, but for Pierce to go to the bench so a guy like Jeff Green could start, just doesn't seem like a good situation.  In other words, I just can't see a situation where Pierce, Garnett, and maybe even Allen would take a non-starting role going forward with the Celtics.  They either need to start or need to move on.  Thoughts?

If we pick up Lebron James or Kevin Durant in the off-season, I would definitely consider bringing Paul Pierce off the bench.

[CFAN38]

If pierce is still with the team after this off season (im a big fan of trying to trade him in a 3 team deal for Paul Milsap) then he will start over J Green. If the current team is brought back then Green will be the sixth man and he and rondo will lead the team in minutes played.

Franchise players may take a lesser role but they very seldom actually go the the bench as non-starters. Being a "starter is simply a title" your minutes dictate your actually ability not the fact that you play the first 30 secs of the game. I know a high school coach who started a terribly 6'6" center every game simply to try to win the tip then he would only play the kid 3-4 minutes a game. 

[chambers]

Pierce is not the face of the Celtics anymore, Rajon Rondo is the face of the Celtics.
But there are only 5 or so players in the league that might start over him at the 3 spot, so I doubt his game will have declined that much next year.

 Rondo is the face of the Celtics now and Pierce could easily come off the bench next season. Depends where our scoring comes from, if we have a scoring center+scoring shooting guard+scoring power forward it might pay to have Pierce come in off the bench and score 15 every night a la James Harden, Jamal Crawford, Mo Williams etc...

Pierce is the franchise. You wouldn't say Bynum is the face of the lakers would you?

To us Celtics fans Pierce is the franchise.
To the NBA and the majority of NBA fans(casual, uneducated basketball wise fans) Rondo is the face of the franchise. It's Rondos team now.

Kobe is the leading scorer in the NBA still portrays him as the face of the franchise. The NBA does not portray Bynum as the face of the Lakers.

Actually I think if anything casual NBA fans consider Pierce the face. Captain, leading scorer, all-star, drafted by team and been playing for 15the years, finals mvp. I don't see how anyone could think Pierce isn't the face of the franchise

Up until the end of 2009-10, it's arugable that Pierce was the face. Some would say the year Rondo became an All Star it became his team.
I think that Rondo is clearly the face of the franchise now- he is on the majority of the marketing and is one of the most beloved players in the NBA. in 2011 he was the third highest selling jersey of all players behind Kobe and Lebron.(he sold more than Rose lol, obviously this will probably change this season, we'll see).
He was also one of 11 players this season to have over 500,000 All Star Votes.(He was 11th highest overall, missed out on starting by one place).

It's different when you're wearing green glasses.
Pierce is older, slower and scores less than 20 a night because he is now one of a 'big 3' which is on the decline.
Two years ago I'd have no argument with you.
To all of us, of course it's Paul Pierces town, but to the rest of the world, Pierce is about to be carted off to the old folks home and now it's Rondo's town.

[CelticG1]

Pierce is not the face of the Celtics anymore, Rajon Rondo is the face of the Celtics.
But there are only 5 or so players in the league that might start over him at the 3 spot, so I doubt his game will have declined that much next year.

 Rondo is the face of the Celtics now and Pierce could easily come off the bench next season. Depends where our scoring comes from, if we have a scoring center+scoring shooting guard+scoring power forward it might pay to have Pierce come in off the bench and score 15 every night a la James Harden, Jamal Crawford, Mo Williams etc...

Pierce is the franchise. You wouldn't say Bynum is the face of the lakers would you?

To us Celtics fans Pierce is the franchise.
To the NBA and the majority of NBA fans(casual, uneducated basketball wise fans) Rondo is the face of the franchise. It's Rondos team now.

Kobe is the leading scorer in the NBA still portrays him as the face of the franchise. The NBA does not portray Bynum as the face of the Lakers.

Actually I think if anything casual NBA fans consider Pierce the face. Captain, leading scorer, all-star, drafted by team and been playing for 15the years, finals mvp. I don't see how anyone could think Pierce isn't the face of the franchise

Up until the end of 2009-10, it's arugable that Pierce was the face. Some would say the year Rondo became an All Star it became his team.
I think that Rondo is clearly the face of the franchise now- he is on the majority of the marketing and is one of the most beloved players in the NBA. in 2011 he was the third highest selling jersey of all players behind Kobe and Lebron.(he sold more than Rose lol, obviously this will probably change this season, we'll see).
He was also one of 11 players this season to have over 500,000 All Star Votes.(He was 11th highest overall, missed out on starting by one place).

It's different when you're wearing green glasses.
Pierce is older, slower and scores less than 20 a night because he is now one of a 'big 3' which is on the decline.
Two years ago I'd have no argument with you.
To all of us, of course it's Paul Pierces town, but to the rest of the world, Pierce is about to be carted off to the old folks home and now it's Rondo's town.

Who would say when rondo became an all-star he became the face of the franchise?!?! Haha I just can't agree at all.

Not that selling jerseys or all star stuff mean anything but maybe pierce wasn't 3rdthat in jersey sales because millions of fans ALREADY HAVE his jersey.

Is parker the face of the spurs? Maybe we just have different opinions of what the term means.