Paul Pierce Announces Return to Clippers and Retirement Plan

Paul Pierce's return home did not end with the Larry O'Brien Trophy. It wasn't a Peyton Manning-esque ride off into the sunset. It wasn't even as good as his surprising turn as an effective role player with the Washington Wizards.

However, Pierce is looking to give it another try next season.

The future Hall of Famer announced he would return for his 19th NBA season Monday in an article for the Players' Tribune.

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Just like any difficult decision, I think you've got to be at peace with yourself. I'm at peace with retiring, but I've got one more ride left. One more season. One more opportunity. With the Clippers, in the city where I grew up, I feel like I have that opportunity on a great team. We're hungry. We want to win a championship.

After 18 NBA years, it's hard to believe I'll be playing in each arena for the last time. So I'm going to enjoy every practice, every bus ride, every team dinner, every time running out through the tunnel. I'm going to do my part to give us a shot at the ultimate goal.

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"I wanted one more shot to win a championship with this group and for the Los Angeles Clippers," Pierce told reporters later on Monday. "That would be monumental."

Pierce spent the first 15 seasons of his career with the Boston Celtics before playing for the Brooklyn Nets, Wizards and Clippers the last three. He averaged a career-low 6.1 points and 2.7 rebounds per game in 2015-16.

Signed as a low-cost role player amid the coaxing of head coach Doc Rivers, Pierce wound up struggling in his new bench role in L.A. He shot a career-worst 36.3 percent from the floor, including a 31.0 percent rate from three. A year after playing a vital mentor role to John Wall and Bradley Beal, Pierce was unable to mend a Clippers locker room that often resembled a circus.

"Every heartbreak makes you want to come back," Pierce told reporters after the Clippers were eliminated from the playoffs. "That's the competitive nature of a player. That's the competitive nature of me."

He went on to serve as an analyst during the NBA playoffs for ESPN and ABC, a career path he may follow after his playing days are over. Pierce has indicated 2016-17 will be his last season and said much of his decision came down to his role, per Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.

"I thought I had one more good year [this past season], but obviously I didn't like how it all went with my role," he said. "I'm still just trying to figure it out. A lot has got to do with my role I'm going to play. To come back and sit 82 games, I don't know if I can do that."

Pierce was satisfied enough with what he heard from Rivers to make one last go of it. But the Clippers still don't appear to be championship contenders.

The Golden State Warriors reloaded by acquiring Kevin Durant and appear a mortal lock for a third straight NBA Finals appearance. Tim Duncan retired, though, and the Oklahoma City Thunder lost Durant. It's possible L.A. could be Golden State's biggest threat in the Western Conference.

It's unlikely Pierce will see a massive boost in playing time. Looking at the situation objectively, Pierce will, and probably should, sit a majority of the time next season. He's a 15-minute spot player at this point, which will no doubt be a strange way to end his career.

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter.