Forgive me but everytime ray doesn't score 20 points in a game everyone starts saying that he is useless, trade him, give his minutes to TA, etc. Ray does get into slumps, but thats what shooters do, they slump, even kobe bryant slumped, even the best 3 point shooter of all time in reggie miller slumped.
The thing about ray is that he is very smart with the baskball, doesnt turn the ball over alot, makes the good passes, and plays good defense. It's all about chemistry! We have the best starting lineup in the league. Ray may only score 3 points in a playoff game but a guarentee that 3 points is going to be that last secound buzzer beater to win the game.
You bashers are hot then your cold! If ray is doing good you love him, if he is playing bad you hate him.
Are you going to get a new team when the celtics get back to being a lottery team for a few years?
Yes we need a bench scoring, great defensive SF. Someone better than TA but not at the expense of getting rid of Ray.
Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.
He's good, and most folks seem to like him, personally and as a player, and most recognize what he brings to the team. A dispassionate, non-sentimental assessment of his current positives and weaknesses, combined with his expiring salary and the broader strenghts and needs of the team, and that, due to his age, he is not in the long-term picture either way, means that it makes perfect sense to discuss what he brings to the table, and how we might move on once he's no longer with the Celtics, and whether trading him now would make the Celtics a better, stronger team both now and going forward.
Granted, within all of that, there is much to discuss and debate, but I that would only be "Ray Bashing" to someone who is sentamentally attached to the player instead of the team.
My thing is this, and I pose this question to anyone here:
Imagine the headlines on ESPN, Boston Globe or Herald tomorrow morning---"Boston trades Ray Allen!"
Now--Who could Boston Realistically bring in to replace him that is worth everything that Ray brings to us AND can still allow Boston to compete not only for the playoffs BUT for the Title as well?
Realistically?
And who we could count on to be a Clutch outside shooter?
Dwyane Wade? Joe Johnson? These are two names that pop off the top of my mind...and would ATL or MIA be willing to trade either of these two for Ray Allen? Realistically?
Anyone Less than these two and we can count Banner 18 goodbye...and even then could Dwyane or Joe fit in in time enough for Boston to make our Championship run this year?
Boston's not a "Plug and Play" Team...If Joe or Dwyane came here, they would most certainly have to sacrifice something.
Sure he has challenges defensively, but the entire team has been having that issue, too.
My thing is this: Let Ray shoot himself out of his mini-funk, re-sign him to a lesser contract (With Boston) next year and continue to keep his minutes low.