Celtics show slight skepticism regarding Ray Allen
I don’t know why, but I’ve always been pretty confident Ray Allen would re-sign with the Boston Celtics. Maybe it was because, after the brutal Game 7 loss I still can’t think about without slamming my head against a wall, he said, “I’d like to be here. There’s no reason to be any other place.
“I’d love to retire with this organization. [But] that’s up to the team. I want to be here. This team has proven over the decades to be a winner, one of the best in sports, and that’s what this organization plans to do. I’m committed to it.”
That sounds like a man who really wanted to remain a Boston Celtic, no? Well, it might not be that easy. (CSNNE)
“He’s going to wait. He’s doing his business, and I’m fine with that,” Rivers said. “I just hope we get him back.”
Rivers acknowledged it has been difficult at times knowing that both the Celtics and Allen want to reunite, but well aware that Allen has to do what is best for him and his family which is to explore all the options at his disposal.
“It is nerve-wracking, because some one can come along and pay him more than we can pay him,” Rivers said. “That can happen. We have to be prepared for that as well.”
Utah’s Kyle Korver is among the better shooting guards available this summer. The Celtics have already had discussions with the representatives for wing players Rasual Butler and Antoine Wright.
“I don’t know,” Rivers said when asked about the C’s backup plan. “But none of them can really replace Ray.”
I may sound a little insensitive, but hasn’t Ray made enough money? If he wants to retire a Boston Celtic so badly and the C’s made him a reasonably fair offer, why doesn’t he just take the offer? Why is he waiting this out?
There are two possibilities: 1) Ray and his agent have a lot of leverage. They know the C’s don’t really have many options besides re-signing him, so they’re trying to bleed out a big contract. Or 2) Ray is really considering joining Lebron, Wade, and/or Bosh on a super-team.
I hope it’s option number one. I can deal with overpaying Ray, mostly because, well, I’m not the one whose money is going to be spent. The owners might think differently than I do, though they’ve never been cheap in the past.
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Celtics Blog, Featured | Jay King | July 7, 2010
He owes it to Boston… with the way he performed in the last couple games in the finals, he should be hauling ass back to beantown! That just my opinion though. *kanye shrug*
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I’m not sure he owes it to Boston, but I’d sure appreciate some loyalty.
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Lets say he is thinking Miami. Wouldn’t Ray, his agent and the Heat need (or make sense) to do a sign and trade?
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It would make sense, but if the C’s send Ray to Miami to join Bosh and Wade, they’d be helping one of the biggest competitors in the East. I don’t see it happening.
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hope we can sign and trade for him if he decides to chase the money
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Agreed. But I really just hope he stays in the Bean.
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I believe his son is the biggest priority in Allen’s life right now. Unless some other team is offering to pay his son’s medical bills, I don’t see why he should be going to another team.
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That’s true. Boston hospitals are great. Could be a deciding factor.
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PP showed his loyalty taking less money to help sign better role players. Ray should really think long and hard about this as just because Miami now apparently has Wade & Bosh (and maybe LBJ but I think he’s staying in Cleveland) that team still needs more players and CHEMISTRY which doesn’t manifest overnight. The Cs history, having already won a title and just losing one (with the KG injury in ’09 costing another run) along with the great team chemistry should be enough to convince Ray that getting another ring is best achieved via the Cs. What’s he playing for now; money or rings? I guess we’ll know shortly. Go Cs….
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If the Heat somehow do get Lebron, though, we’d better hope Ray isn’t playing for rings. At that point, we’d have to hope for loyalty.
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Right. Another Celtic whose priorities are all messed up. What in the world can be more important than the Boston Celtics, pray tell?
Ray, come back!
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Listen up, Ray.
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If Miami doesn’t get Lebron, I’m even more worried. They’d have even more money to through at Ray in that case, and Wade/Bosh/Allen is still a pretty scary team.
If they do get Lebron, Ray would have to be playing solely for rings, because Miami wont have the money left to give him anything huge. Boston should be able to match whatever Miami can offer, and the choice comes down to loyalty vs. Championship.
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Yup. Let’s hope loyalty wins out.
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I’m torn because I love Ray Allen. He’s the most upstanding, class act guy in the NBA I think. Mellow, and a total team player, but I am first and foremost a C’s fan so I think I’d lose some respect for Ray if he leaves. I understand wanting to win titles, but you won one with this team, and if he had even put up DECENT numbers in the last game, we win. So why is it that he thinks he’s better suited in MIA?
Will it be easier? So then these guys want titles but they want them the easy way? It’s not as if BOS had 16 wins or something. They are a contender every year but what? It’s not a title that I can just ride the easy train to? Is that it?
If your on a bad team then ok…I get it, but not the team that was EC champs and other than 21 FT’s in the 4th or maybe some kind of offense from Ray, we win the title!
Come on Ray…you’re better than that man.
Come back to the Bean and win a title that will not simply place you as a footnote on the roster.
You don’t mind taking a backseat but…if you leave on those terms…you’re not in the backseat man…you’re on the roof rack because no one will look at you as a remote factor of winning the title. It will be Lebron, Wade and Bosh who did it…you were just along for a free ride.
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If LeElbow goes to NYC – so does Ray…PLAIN and SIMPLE! That allows his son to be close enough to Josselin Diabetes Ctr.
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Ray Allen seems like a righteous, moral individual, and I’m not quite sure why his character, specifically his loyalty, is worth questioning. With that said, I think and hope Allen may be merely looking to build suspense for 1) some attention and 2) a little security in his future. (No reason LeBron gets all the fun!)
And I hope the Celtics sweat a bit over the best shooter in the league. They toyed with his contract and emotions earlier; it’s only normal he plays the game, too.
He understands his colleagues. Why would he want to try with anyone else? #AllenStays
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