Peter May article on Ray Allen, Reasons he will be here beyond this year.

[GreenFaith1819]

Some of the best news I've heard about Ray. I too would like to see him stay. I know that contracts have to be worked out, but at least it looks like Danny will be willing to work something.

Ride off into the sunset in Boston with KG and Pierce, Ray Ray!

[CelticG1]

Peter May says that all the guys want Ray to stay but isn't that pretty obvious? Of course Danny wants him to stay. He wants him to stay at a discount. He doesn't want to be spending a lot of money or years on him, so he wants him to stay under his circumstances more likely. I think what Ray is more worried about are the years, not the money on the contract. I think he would rather get 3 years at lower money than 1 or 2 years big or bigger money. We just offered Sheed a 3 year contract and he's older than Ray and obviously doesn't keep in phenomenal shape like Ray does. Is it really unrealistic for Ray to take 3 years 18 mil? I know people are worried about the years with Ray but thats not too much money and I think it's a decent bargain. Would he bite at a team option on the 3rd year?

[boscel33]

what are the chances that both pp and ra take a discount, say 3 years at 7 per for pp and 2 at 7 per for ra.  this should easily push them under the cap to make a splash on a free agent.  this would also allow them to add more bling to the fingers.

If Pierce were top opt out, both Pierce and Allen were to sign 2 year $7 million per contracts, and the Celtics were to release Walker and Giddens and renounce every other free agent of their's, they are still at about $56.9 million in salary with a million dollar cap hold on their first round pick included.

Rondo 9 million
Pierce 7 million
Allen 7 million
Garnett 18.8 million
Wallace 6.3 million
Davis 3 million
Perkins 4.9 million
1st round pick 1 million

8 player signed and still over the cap.

Ray and Pierce taking major pay cuts only makes them poorer and the ownership group richer. It doesn't open cap space for free agnets, unfortunately.

unless, of course, they sign a free agent first and then resign pierce and allen, wink wink, nod nod.

[nickagneta]

what are the chances that both pp and ra take a discount, say 3 years at 7 per for pp and 2 at 7 per for ra.  this should easily push them under the cap to make a splash on a free agent.  this would also allow them to add more bling to the fingers.

If Pierce were top opt out, both Pierce and Allen were to sign 2 year $7 million per contracts, and the Celtics were to release Walker and Giddens and renounce every other free agent of their's, they are still at about $56.9 million in salary with a million dollar cap hold on their first round pick included.

Rondo 9 million
Pierce 7 million
Allen 7 million
Garnett 18.8 million
Wallace 6.3 million
Davis 3 million
Perkins 4.9 million
1st round pick 1 million

8 player signed and still over the cap.

Ray and Pierce taking major pay cuts only makes them poorer and the ownership group richer. It doesn't open cap space for free agnets, unfortunately.

unless, of course, they sign a free agent first and then resign pierce and allen, wink wink, nod nod.

That is an impossibility as both would be counted against the salary cap as a hold. Their salaries still count against the team's cap to stop just such nod, nod, wink, wink deals from happening. Sorry dude but it's an impossibility to happen.

[MBunge]

It seems to me that Ray staying has little to do with him and a lot to do with other players.  I mean, no matter how much he stays in shape, we've probably already seen the best Ray Allen the Cs are ever going to get.  So, when resigning Ray what matters is how much more the rest of the team is going to be able to contribute as Ray (and Pierce and KG) declines.  Rondo and Perk playing at All Star-levels will compensate for a lot of that, but if Ainge can't hang onto Marquis beyond this year or find another capable back-up at the 2/3...is it really worth paying Ray 8 to 10 mil a year when all it'll do is delay the rebuilding process a couple of seasons?

Mike