The reports that continue to trickle out of the purple and gold side of Staples Center continues to send shivers up and down the spines of Los Angeles Lakers fans.

Lakersnation.com reported that the Lakers tried - and failed - to sign San Antonio Spurs free agent Marco Belinelli, citing a tweet written in Italian by Dario Vismara or Rivista NBA in which the sharpshooter confirmed receiving free-agent offers from the New York Knicks, New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs, along with the Lakers.

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Ultimately, he signed a three-year deal with the Sacramento Kings worth $19 million.

Though not expressly confirmed, the Lakers may have had interest in another free agent farther east. Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce told the Boston Globe about how happy he was to go home to Los Angeles as he signed with the Clippers.

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But for some strange reason, Pierce brought up the Lakers.

"It's a dream come true to be able to come home, finally," Pierce told the Globe. "I grew up a Laker fan but playing on all the Boston Celtic teams ... there's no way I could go there - so this was the next best choice. And it's always been a dream to play in front of my family and friends."

Does that mean that the Lakers made a free-agent offer to Pierce? He does not say that and merely may have been saying that he could never consider playing for the Lakers after spending most of his career with the rival Celtics - the teams competing for the NBA title against each other in 2008 and 2010.

When the Celtics won in six games in 2008, one of the more memorable moments of the series that sticks in the craw of Lakers fans was the image of an injured Paul Pierce being taken off the court in a wheelchair in the second half of Game 1, only to return and lead Boston to victory.

But the thought of Pierce in a Lakers uniform could be as unappealing to Lakers fans as it is to Pierce. If they did talk to him about joining the team, perhaps it's better for all if that news doesn't become public.