Re-Sign Tony Allen!

[Bankshot]

Well even before the playoffs I wanted to re-sign Tony.  I thought he was a cheap option off the bench that plays hard and plays defense.  Might not be so cheap after this playoffs after all.

[Cman]

Impressive game by Tony Allen.
Keep it up all the way through June!

[jasail]

if TA keeps up this play he will likely be labeled by the national media as a big time stopper.  as such there is a good chance some mid market teams over pays for him. 

this is text book definition of how middle of the pack players in the NBA get contracts they don't deserve. 

[BudweiserCeltic]

I've said a couple of times already, but TA has been good/useful for us in the playoffs, particularly those that complain about his turnovers. So far he's played about 154 minutes with just 3 turnovers total in the last 3 playoffs, this one included. No doubt he'll have his big turnover game at some point, but so far he's been protecting the ball well. And other than that one Chicago game last year (which I don't blame him much for, as much as poor decisions by his teammates and coaches), he's been doing his job.

[GreenFaith1819]

TA is an Enigma, as one writer posted on the Blog main page a month or two ago. No disrespect intended, but I cannot recall the writer's name.

It was a very-well written article, too.

What we are seeing with Tony, for the first time in his career I think, is consistency. And now he's raising it to another level in the Playoffs, where it really counts. He has certainly continued to show up in the Big Games.

I was always in the mindset that we bring Tony back..do we pay him Glen Davis money? If he keeps this up, can we deny him that? Or more?

He knows our schemes..he's our best wing defender I think..is playing smarter..more mature..seems to be taking better care of himself.

I'd say a Keeper..for Glen Davis money, IMO. As long as he produces more Game Ones.

[Jon]

As impressive as he was, I was still cringing and calling for Doc to take him out after the altercation.  He did great last game, but I was still waiting for him to foul Dwayne Wade on a three pointer with 30 seconds left, allowing Miami to have a shot in the game. 

He was awesome last night, and has been great the last month or so, but let's see how the playoffs finish out before making any proclamations. 

[CoachBo]

Allen was terrific last night, and he's been solid for the last month or so.

With that said, if some team wants to pay stupid money for him, we cannot handicap our financial flexibility by overpaying for a guy who's taken a half-dozen years to be good for a short period of time.

As Jon says, I still have no confidence in his decision-making with the game on the line. I, too, was expecting some catastrophic foul after the altercation.

[Bankshot]

As impressive as he was, I was still cringing and calling for Doc to take him out after the altercation.  He did great last game, but I was still waiting for him to foul Dwayne Wade on a three pointer with 30 seconds left, allowing Miami to have a shot in the game. 

He was awesome last night, and has been great the last month or so, but let's see how the playoffs finish out before making any proclamations. 

Maybe that's your own insecurity?   Not everyone feels as you do.  I wasn't waiting for Tony to foul Wade on a 3 pointer.  I don't think we really have to wait for the playoffs to be over to judge Tony, he's played well all season.

[jambr380]

Allen will most likely be back here for 3 mill or so for a couple of years. I really don't see any team giving him serious money. Serious money means starter money and I am not sure any teams really view him as a cornerstone sg. What he is giving us right now is what we always hoped he would give us. Keep it up Tony!

[Who]

Defensive stoppers are usually signed by playoff teams.

What playoff team has a need for a stopper + will not be turned off by his lack of a jump shot + is able to pay Tony a considerable amount of money?

[GreenFaith1819]

Defensive stoppers are usually signed by playoff teams.

What playoff team has a need for a stopper + will not be turned off by his lack of a jump shot + is able to pay Tony a considerable amount of money?

Well see that's the Enigma of Tony Allen..

No disrespect Who, but TA Does in Fact have a Jumper. Why he doesn't use it all the time just adds to TA's "Enigmaism", lol.

He had his "J" on full display in the Laker game in Boston a few months ago. The man pulled up from 12-16 feet I believe on several occassions and drilled jumpers, with Kobe or whoever else nearby.

He is better as a slasher, though. But he does have a J.

[Who]

Defensive stoppers are usually signed by playoff teams.

What playoff team has a need for a stopper + will not be turned off by his lack of a jump shot + is able to pay Tony a considerable amount of money?

Eastern Conference

I think you can rule the top teams in the East. Orlando, Cleveland and Atlanta won't sign a non-shooter. Neither will Miami. Doubtful Chicago would either. Charlotte has a lot of defenders already, so unlikely there too. Milwaukee? Doubt it.

Nobody is jumping off the page from the lower half of the East either. Phily can't handle another non-shooter. Indiana just signed a defensive stopper last off-season, don't see them signing another one. D'Antoni will want shooters and NY's cap space makes it unlikely they would sign TA to a non-minimum contract. Detroit's backcourt is already overcrowded. Toronto? Doubtful but not impossible. They want to upgrade their defense but they already have two shooting guards (Weems, DeRozan) who want and need to give minutes too + Colangelo likes shooters. Washington? Not seeing that either.

Western Conference

The Lakers might spend their MLE this summer if they fail to win the West. I think they'd be looking at a point guard though and they need a shooter to complement their bigs + Kobe. Tony Allen doesn't fit that requirement. Phoenix wouldn't sign a non-shooter. Denver has Afflalo and JR Smith. Portland is loaded on the wings. Oklahoma has Sefolosha and Harden. Houston has Martin, Ariza and Battier.

Dallas? Not likely but maybe. I expect they'll be looking for a full MLE signing, more of an impact player. Someone like Mike Miller. The Utah Jazz? Again, a team that desperately needs to upgrade their shooting and can't really afford another non-shooter especially with Okur's effectiveness declining rapidly. But maybe. Actually, no, Utah have too many financial pressures, that makes them very unlikely to sign a player like TA to a considerable contract.

Memphis have Gay, Mayo and Brewer. Then Sam Young. Perhaps if they lose Gay or Brewer through free agency. Their GM knows Tony Allen well.

New Orleans won't add a non-shooter to play alongside Chris Paul. Golden State are unlikely to be interested in a player like TA and have a lot of options at the two already (Monta, Morrow, Azubuike). Sacramento shouldn't sign a non-shooter with Tyreke there. Maybe Minnesota? Again, very unlikely. Clippers? They have cap space and are won't want to waste it on role players. But if they strike out? Still, hard to envision, but maybe.

Summary

Yeah, I'm not seeing a whole lot of potential destinations out there for Tony Allen + without more suitors it's hard to see his price tag rising too far beyond where it currently is ($2.5 million).

I don't think Boston will be out-priced from re-signing Tony Allen.

[Who]

Tony Allen's Jump Shot

• 2009/10 -- 33% of his shot attempts where jumpers and he made only 21% of them
• 2008/09 -- 39% of his shot attempts where jumpers and he made only 28% of them
• 2007/08 -- 50% of his shot attempts where jumpers and he made only 41% of them
• 2006/07 -- 34% of his shot attempts where jumpers and he made only 36% of them
• 2005/06 -- 42% of his shot attempts where jumpers and he made only 33% of them
• 2004/05 -- 40% of his shot attempts where jumpers and he made only 36% of them

In the last six years, he has had only one season where he had a serviceable jump shot + somewhere between a third and half of his shot attempts where jump shots.

Tony Allen does not have a jump shot.

[cdif911]

Let's not overreact. Clearly someone fighting for a contract... (see Stoudamire, Amare).

the scary thought is the comparison you can make to Mark Blount

But I see Tony as a character guy 99% of the time (minus his trip to Chicago) so I don't think he's doing htat, I just think he's peaking at the right moment, and I'll take that!

[Jon]

As impressive as he was, I was still cringing and calling for Doc to take him out after the altercation.  He did great last game, but I was still waiting for him to foul Dwayne Wade on a three pointer with 30 seconds left, allowing Miami to have a shot in the game.  

He was awesome last night, and has been great the last month or so, but let's see how the playoffs finish out before making any proclamations.  

Maybe that's your own insecurity?  Not everyone feels as you do.  I wasn't waiting for Tony to foul Wade on a 3 pointer.  I don't think we really have to wait for the playoffs to be over to judge Tony, he's played well all season.

It's not my own insecurity; it's me remembering back further in Celtics' history than a month ago.  Tony has consistently made boneheaded plays throughout his career.  To expect him to do it again wasn't unreasonable or insecure.  

Might he have turned the corner?  Sure.  But we need more than a month of good games and a playoff game to prove it.  

Moreover, TA will likely never be more useful than is in the Miami series.  He is the perfect mix of size and athleticism to guard Dwayne Wade.  That advantage will diminish as the playoffs go on and we face more talented teams with bigger wings.