Trading Ray Allen debate (merged)

[Jon]

I do think people are mixing up the notion of not trading Ray this year and not trading Ray ever.  I don't want him traded this year, but by no means am I suggesting he has to retire a Celtic. 

I think the most sensible thing we could possibly do is extend Ray for one more year.  People act like this is the only summer that teams are going to want expiring contracts; however, Ray's expiring contract is going to be just as desirable next summer as it is this summer if we extend him one more year. 

Second of all, extending Ray one more year buys the C's time to see what this team has left.  If the C's win #18 next year, they have Ray on the books for the next year to try for #19.  If the C's get knocked out early and it's apparent that this team (as currently constructed) is done, they have his then expiring deal to trade away as they would this year. 

What's more, if the C's extend Ray one more year, they will have PP expiring the same year as Ray.  Thus, they'll have two expiring contracts to trade OR let expire.  This means that C's could be clearing 30+ million in salaries (depending on what Ray's 1 year extension was for) for the 2010-2011 summer. 

Of course, if things are still going well, the C's could extend Ray and/or Paul yet another year and have the same options for the summer of 2011-2012 (the Durant year). 

I just feel like people are acting like that if we don't trade Ray now we're never going to get anything for him.  And I think as the scenarios above explain, that's far from the case.  In many ways we benefit a lot more from extending him one year in that we'll never have to look back and say, "would we have won #18 had we held onto Ray?"

[FanInTheSouth]

COME ON AMARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOOOOO!!!!!!

[Drucci]

As you may know, Ray is my favorite player on this team. You all know his qualities and his weaknesses, but for me, what people tend to overloo is that he is the spirit of this team as KG is or as Paul is. He isn't just a great shooter with an appealing expiring contract, who is going to retire soon because his skills will decline fast.

It would be a crucial mistake to trade him in my opinion, and I didn't like at all the rumors that he was going to get traded. But I didn't give any credit to it since I was convinced that it wasn't going to happen, and all the rumors denial conforted me in my opinion.

But now, I'm feeling really worried about it since it seems obvious that Danny Ainge really made calls for trade scenarios that always involved Ray. The Detroit one for example seemed pretty real if we trust the informations on this one.

So I'm truly worried that this might be the last days in which Ray represents the Celtics. I don't know how I would feel if he gets traded, probably betrayed and disgusted, especially if it's for a top prospect in a really weak draft.

I don't know if this thread makes any sense or if anybody will share my view and understand my point, but I just wanted to lay it out and say that a big part of my love for this team would be gone or at least altered if Ray was traded. I would follow him and his new team but at the same feel bad for him. Of course I would still support Boston because I love this team but I don't know, I think I would suddenly hate Danny Ainge because he would have betrayed Ray and more importantly the spirit of this team. I don't think Ray could get replaced and I think his departure would clearly affect the players and the team chemistry/mood, a la Billups for Detroit.

So here I am, both excited to see what the draft holds for the league and the top prospects, but also very worried about Ray and the Celtics future. I have mixed emotions. I just hope that he doesn't get traded on draft night, and I want to see him as a Celtic next season, so all this group can win another title and keep this great Ubuntu mentality.

You could call this thread the "Don't trade Ray-Ray thread". I may be too much bounded to the player and not enough to the team needs, but seriously, when I think about it I just don't get all the trades involving Ray that we heart about these past weeks, it doesn't make sense for the Celtics and it doesn't make sense for Ray.

[johnnyrondo]

I don't think Ray will be traded. I think it will end up that Danny won't pull the trigger. He might get close, like the Paul Pierce/CP3 rumor a few years back, but he will eventually ask for something more (like Travis Outlaw in the Paul for Paul trade) and Ray will remain a Celtic.

[yagru]

i completely agree.. i would be very dissapointed to see him go regardless of who we get in return

[Change]

I hope he stays too Drucci. 99.9% of "Rumors" never materialize  Ray Allen hopefully retires as a Celtic in 5-6 years. Why not? He'll always be able to shoot. But seriously Ray, Paul, and KG having something especial in Boston. At least 2 more championship before any of them leave.

[twinbree]

I hope he stays. He's an important part of the reason our starting 5 is so amazing. He's long been one of my faves so its been great having him on the Cs and it makes me appreciate more the little perks he brings like the clutchness and having a 90+% FT shooter to throw the ball to with the game on the line.

[hwangjini_1]

I hope he stays too Drucci. 99.9% of "Rumors" never materialize  Ray Allen hopefully retires as a Celtic in 5-6 years. Why not? He'll always be able to shoot. But seriously Ray, Paul, and KG having something especial in Boston. At least 2 more championship before any of them leave.

that would be nice. 2 more championships is possible. and if ray would take a reduced paycheck (really really reduced) it would help the celtics bring in enough talent to make those 2 championships possible.

i like ray as a person and a player. good thread drucci.

[RickyDavisfor3]

I'm sure none of us WANT to see Ray go, but if Danny can ensure an improved team and more championships doing it, I'll support it. I'm a celtics fan after all and I will follow them no matter what starts to happen. Danny has shown we can trust him to build us a champion. Now if Ray were to be dealt, I would definitely be proud of him and the way he had handled himself during his time with the celtics. I mean, there really isn't much more we can say about how great he has been as a person, teammate, player, rolemodel, and ideal celtic character. This thread is really like praise, which got me thinking of the important things in life... 1. faith 2. food/water 3. respect for ray allen no matter where he is or what he's doing

[PosImpos]

There are only two players who I would be truly upset to see traded - Paul and KG. 

[KungPoweChicken]

I hear you loud and clear, and I feel your pain.

[Thruthelookingglass]

I think I would suddenly hate Danny Ainge because he would have betrayed Ray and more importantly the spirit of this team. I don't think Ray could get replaced and I think his departure would clearly affect the players and the team chemistry/mood, a la Billups for Detroit.

I like our team and I like our players.  While Ray Allen has only been a Celtic for 2 years I would like to have him remain here and become one of the Celtic legends, not just a hired gun in green. 

But I feel that way about most of the team.  I like "our guys" and want to see "our guys" succeed.  Yeah, I understand it is a business but to many of us it isn't only a business.

[radiohead]

In an ideal world, ray will retire a celtic. But basketball is a business, and an opportunity to make the team better at the expense of ray allen might be too hard for danny to pass up. I was a huge danny ainge fan when he was playing for the celtics in the 80's. And just like how most of us feel about how the current big 3 should all retire in green, i was hoping that the so called "best starting five ever" of larry, chief, kevin, ainge, and dj should all end their careers as celtics. I was devastated when danny was traded to the kings for joe kleine and ed pinckney. But at the end of the day, i still cheered for my beloved celtics. Whether ray gets traded or not, he will always be a great celtic in my book. Just like danny ainge.

[winsomme]

I've been thinking about this, and there really aren't many places that make sense for Ray to end up going to.

you need a team that is looking to unload a big salary and has a player that the Cs could easily plug in to our starting lineup or REALLY wants RAY for one season and has a top, top pick that would land us one of the very best players in this draft.

what teams fit these criteria?

the only team that i could think of in the pick department was Washington and now they are out.

Dallas unloading Dampier and giving us Josh Howard?

Phoenix, Denver, Houston? What do they really have to offer us?

I just don't see the trade partners out there for Ray....which isn't a bad thing, by the way. I'm a huge Ray Allen fan.

[guava_wrench]

I found the initial post annoying. Everyone wants everything there way. All I care about is the team continuing competing for championships for as long as possible. If this means trading your favorite player, tough luck.

This has the vibe of a bring back walker thread.