Paul Pierce has generally been careful with his words regarding a trade demand. He always maintained the right of deniability when it came to leaving town.

But yesterday after calling the Celtics? present situation ?a dream come true,? he admitted he was gazing at the door before the club added Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.

?I mean, at the time I felt like that was an option for me,? said the captain, who signed an extension worth nearly $60 million last summer. ?Really. I felt like, hey, if we didn?t acquire any veteran help, you know, if we continued to go young, then I had to think about what I wanted to do. I looked at it as I was being selfish. As a player, you?ve got to make those decisions about what?s going to be the best for you and your career.

?I look at these last five years that I play and realize they?re going to determine my legacy as a player, and I want to win a championship.?