If Ray's not scoring, he's not helping

[Ohio Celtics Fan]

I have no problem trading Roy if it is a clear upgrade.


That said, that option really isn't available right now.  

Dude, Hobbs better not be going anywhere

[wdleehi]

I have no problem trading Roy if it is a clear upgrade.


That said, that option really isn't available right now.  

Dude, Hobbs better not be going anywhere

Well, Roy/Ray.  Same idea.

[PosImpos]

I can't really think of anybody that would be a significant upgrade over Ray that we'd be able to get for just his expiring contract.

Maybe Caron Butler, but his poor shooting is a significant weakness.

Ray might not be shooting super well this year but he's always a threat from 3 and that's vital.  I wouldn't trade him for anybody who isn't a similar shooting threat.

[GreenFaith1819]

I have no problem trading Roy if it is a clear upgrade.


That said, that option really isn't available right now.  

Dude, Hobbs better not be going anywhere

Well, Roy/Ray.  Same idea.

Who will be our Commissioner for the Pick Two Draft if we trade Roy, lol...

[RebusRankin]

Roy is an untouchable.

[snively]

If he can't still do that, then we'd be better off with somebody that's probably $10 million cheaper.

On the bright side of things ... Ray Allen will be $10 million cheaper, or close to it, next season.

True.  I'd love to keep Ray around next year for that kind of money...in a bench role, since I think we would be a better team if we started a defensive wing next to Paul.

But when I think of possible trade scenarios that involve Ray's expiring deal, I get a little bit giddy.  As much as I love Ray, I think Danny has the nuts to pull the trigger if the opportunity is there to make us better.

As the OP stated, there are many other possibilities that might help us more than Ray, provided we don't get sentimental for the Ray of a couple of years ago.  I think his defense is suspect enough that the matchup would be exploited in a 7-game series.  I don't like him starting at all against:

Wade, Joe Johnson, Stephen Jackson, or Vince Carter,

any of whom we might meet in the playoffs.  If we fall to the #3 seed, we might meet Wade or SJax in the first round...then Vince or Johnson in the second...assuming Cleveland in the Finals.  

Not that we should panic or anything, but we shouldn't get too sentimental, either.  In the end, it will be about matchups, which I think matters more than regular season numbers, percentages, or any assessment of a player's skills outside of the context of matchups against playoff-caliber competition.  Stats often lie.

Excellent points.  

The key questions to be answered before trading Ray Allen are: 1. Does the trade improve our chances in the playoffs?  and 2. Are the returning players better than a cheaper Ray Allen + FA signing next season?

Unfortunately it's hard to find a trade that offers yes answers to both those questions.

I don't see any superior players to Ray available on the market right now.  And scaling down Ray's contract to 8 mil per next season and adding say Mike Miller or Tyrus Thomas at the MLE sounds as good as any trade I can come up with.

[More Banners]

If he can't still do that, then we'd be better off with somebody that's probably $10 million cheaper.

On the bright side of things ... Ray Allen will be $10 million cheaper, or close to it, next season.

True.  I'd love to keep Ray around next year for that kind of money...in a bench role, since I think we would be a better team if we started a defensive wing next to Paul.

But when I think of possible trade scenarios that involve Ray's expiring deal, I get a little bit giddy.  As much as I love Ray, I think Danny has the nuts to pull the trigger if the opportunity is there to make us better.

As the OP stated, there are many other possibilities that might help us more than Ray, provided we don't get sentimental for the Ray of a couple of years ago.  I think his defense is suspect enough that the matchup would be exploited in a 7-game series.  I don't like him starting at all against:

Wade, Joe Johnson, Stephen Jackson, or Vince Carter,

any of whom we might meet in the playoffs.  If we fall to the #3 seed, we might meet Wade or SJax in the first round...then Vince or Johnson in the second...assuming Cleveland in the Finals.  

Not that we should panic or anything, but we shouldn't get too sentimental, either.  In the end, it will be about matchups, which I think matters more than regular season numbers, percentages, or any assessment of a player's skills outside of the context of matchups against playoff-caliber competition.  Stats often lie.

Excellent points.  

The key questions to be answered before trading Ray Allen are: 1. Does the trade improve our chances in the playoffs?  and 2. Are the returning players better than a cheaper Ray Allen + FA signing next season?

Unfortunately it's hard to find a trade that offers yes answers to both those questions.

I don't see any superior players to Ray available on the market right now.  And scaling down Ray's contract to 8 mil per next season and adding say Mike Miller or Tyrus Thomas at the MLE sounds as good as any trade I can come up with.

True, I have a hard time coming up with something I really like.  Of course, as soon as someone posts a trade idea, it never matches up talent-wise with what many people seem to think Ray is worth.  Overvaluing Ray is a barrier here, I think.  Many folks can't separate appreciating what he's done with assessing the player he is now.  Let's face it, we rented an aging veteran for a few years to make a title run, it worked.  That's all.  It's not like he's Bill Russell or something.  We can love Ray without being "in love" with him.