Paul Pierce doesn’t want to see Isaiah Thomas highlights on his jersey retirement night

Isaiah Thomas did not play in the Cavaliers’ first matchup against the Celtics in Boston. So when the Celtics had a video tribute prepared for him on Jan. 3, he requested they hold it until he was active and on the court.

Boston’s GM Danny Ainge confirmed on the Toucher and Rich show that the Celtics have indeed pushed Thomas’s tribute back to Feb. 11, the next and final time Cleveland will play at The TD Garden during the regular season.

There’s just one small problem: that’s the same night Celtics legend Paul Pierce will watch his jersey retire, and the truth is The Truth doesn’t want to see any IT4 highlights on his special day.

“I’m not saying Isaiah shouldn’t get a tribute video,” Pierce said Thursday afternoon on ESPN’s The Jump. “But like, listen, on February 11th, the night I get my jersey, man, I’m not sure I want to look up at the Jumbotron and see Isaiah highlights. You know, after all the years I put in. I had a chance to watch Kobe’s, and throughout the games, the timeouts, there was a lot of tribute videos for him, and I enjoyed to watch that throughout the game. Now hopefully the Boston Celtics will do that for me. I’m not sure if I want to see an Isaiah video that night.”

“Isaiah, [Wednesday] was your night. Come February 11th, you might have to wait until next year for a tribute video,” he continued, though joking with a big smile. “It’s like everybody’s getting a tribute video now. If you played for a team, you get traded, you get a tribute video.”

Thomas’s time in Boston was short, but it was a quick journey from the bottom of the Eastern Conference to near the very top. It’s no wonder that he, the city, and the Celtics organization have such a close relationship in spite of him being traded to Cleveland.

But as of now, Thomas will receive a video tribute on the same day a franchise legend watches his jersey number retire. And that has some people up in arms, including Celtics’ play-by-play man Mike Gorman.

Gorman talked about his frustrations with Thomas and the Celtics on 98.5 The Hub in Boston on Wednesday morning. He respects what Thomas did in his short stint in Boston, but thinks the notion that Thomas will be recognized on the same day as Pierce is too much.

“I don’t think they would. I don’t know for a fact, but if I were in the room and had a vote, I would say no. That’s Paul Pierce’s day. Paul Pierce spent up-teen years here, not two,” Gorman said.

Gorman said he respects that Thomas’ stint in Boston was electric, but compared to the rest of their history? He doesn’t think it’s much. And Pierce earned his recognition with a little over a decade of production and a championship.

There was no way Thomas was going to accept a tribute for him on a night where he didn’t play, so he requested his tribute be postponed. The Cavaliers’ point guard doesn’t see a problem with it being on Paul Pierce’s night.

Thomas’ tribute shouldn’t overshadow what they do for Pierce. A jersey retirement ceremony is just that — a ceremony. Thomas’ video probably won’t last more than 30 seconds and will likely be at the start of the game. The Celtics have room to honor them both.

While Thomas didn’t spend his entire career with Boston, he was part of maybe the fastest rebuild in the league’s history and none of it would be possible without his play. He went from sixth man to starter to All-Star to MVP candidate all in a few years and took the Celtics back to the Eastern Conference finals. Those few years deserve to be recognized.

This is something the fans want anyway. They still love Thomas in Boston.

The solution here is easy: Honor both Pierce and Thomas on the same night. The fans will love it and they both deserve it. It’s going to be a fun night in Boston when it happens.