The Washington Wizards lost starting forward Trevor Ariza to Houston on Saturday and moved quickly to land a surprising replacement.

Paul Pierce joined the Wizards late Saturday night, taking a two-year deal for the mid-level exception (around $11 million total). The Bulls discovered during the playoffs that Washington is on the rise and Pierce, who turns 37 in October, is an interesting addition.

-- Arlington Heights Daily Herald


Newest Wizard Paul Pierce currently ranks 18th in scoring in NBA history. That means that four of the league