Peter Vecsey: The Celtics turned their back on Clifford Ray

[Roy H.]

Peter Vecsey takes exception to the Clifford Ray firing, and provides some (alleged) details:

Two weeks before the season began, Celtics head coach Doc Rivers, who kept assistant Clifford Ray on hold the whole summer, informed him his services would no longer be needed.

An agreement eventually was signed by Ray, who was pressured by team president Danny Ainge to sign by a certain date (without getting lawyers involved) or forget it. Ray, the 1974-75 champion Warriors' starting center, received $100,000 to go away quietly, enough to keep him and his family (including a 13-year-old son) going for a year or so.

Additionally, the Celtics approved medical attention for Ray, specifically for an MRSA infection he contracted in his foot several years ago while working (hence, the boot he wore so long) in Boston's contaminated practice facility; Paul Pierce and Delonte West also got sick.

Had Ray not been in Minnesota last summer and gone, at the urging of his girlfriend, to the Mayo Clinic, doctors told him he was within days of having his foot amputated.

Rivers told Boston reporters he had no room in back of the bench for Ray because newly hired first assistant Lawrence Frank's deal allowed him to enlist a friend.

True enough. But the real reason Ray wasn't invited back is because Rivers didn't think he was healthy enough to get out on the floor and coach. Like the infection was Ray's fault. Like Rivers didn't know Ray was ailing for years. Like he couldn't have reached that conclusion last June so that Ray would've had ample time to find work elsewhere.

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I'm curious to know where Vecsey found out the "real reason".  Even if true, I have mixed feelings about this.  If Ray could no longer do the job, we can't keep him on as a charity case.  Also, Vecsey acknowledges that Lawrence Frank had the right to bring one of his assistants along, so I'm not quite as dismissive of Doc's claims.

Doc just doesn't strike me as a jerk of a guy, who would hang a guy out to dry without a good reason.  I feel for Ray, and think he did a great job here.  I hope he finds work in the future.  However, Vecsey's conjecture aside, I can't conclude that the Celts did Ray wrong.

[indeedproceed]

Read the same thing, reached the same conclusion.

[Edgar]

yup

not to mention the sport situation with all vets on the team now

[vinnie]

Isn't vescey a celtics hater?

[RJ87]

I agree, Roy - if Clifford couldn't do the job, there's not really much purpose in keeping him on. And he got a pretty nice severance package with the $100,000 + top-tier medical coverage. I wouldn't call that "turning your back".

[rondohondo]

Isn't vescey a celtics hater?

yea vescey is a moron who makes up his own trade rumors and is always wrong. He doesn't sound like he knows "the real reason" at all, he just doesn't like Boston.

Doc has never been known to be anything other than a class act by almost everyone around the NBA .

[winsomme]

Peter Vecsey takes exception to the Clifford Ray firing, and provides some (alleged) details:

Two weeks before the season began, Celtics head coach Doc Rivers, who kept assistant Clifford Ray on hold the whole summer, informed him his services would no longer be needed.

An agreement eventually was signed by Ray, who was pressured by team president Danny Ainge to sign by a certain date (without getting lawyers involved) or forget it. Ray, the 1974-75 champion Warriors' starting center, received $100,000 to go away quietly, enough to keep him and his family (including a 13-year-old son) going for a year or so.

Additionally, the Celtics approved medical attention for Ray, specifically for an MRSA infection he contracted in his foot several years ago while working (hence, the boot he wore so long) in Boston's contaminated practice facility; Paul Pierce and Delonte West also got sick.

Had Ray not been in Minnesota last summer and gone, at the urging of his girlfriend, to the Mayo Clinic, doctors told him he was within days of having his foot amputated.

Rivers told Boston reporters he had no room in back of the bench for Ray because newly hired first assistant Lawrence Frank's deal allowed him to enlist a friend.

True enough. But the real reason Ray wasn't invited back is because Rivers didn't think he was healthy enough to get out on the floor and coach. Like the infection was Ray's fault. Like Rivers didn't know Ray was ailing for years. Like he couldn't have reached that conclusion last June so that Ray would've had ample time to find work elsewhere.

Link

I'm curious to know where Vecsey found out the "real reason".  Even if true, I have mixed feelings about this.  If Ray could no longer do the job, we can't keep him on as a charity case.  Also, Vecsey acknowledges that Lawrence Frank had the right to bring one of his assistants along, so I'm not quite as dismissive of Doc's claims.

Doc just doesn't strike me as a jerk of a guy, who would hang a guy out to dry without a good reason.  I feel for Ray, and think he did a great job here.  I hope he finds work in the future.  However, Vecsey's conjecture aside, I can't conclude that the Celts did Ray wrong.

I don't think I'd call a guy a charity case if he almost lost his foot due to something that happened to him on the job....

plus, one of the things that the Cs have been known for the last few years is doing a nice job with their bigs...

I thought there was always something strange about not bringing Ray back. It just felt weird.

Not saying we know the whole story, but if they let him go for some liability reason, it doesn't sit right with me. and if that's the case, maybe an article like this will prompt them to now do the right thing.

[jdub1660]

Makes no sense. Doc seems too honest to his word. He promised Tyron Lue a spot on the coaching bench/player development some years back, and BOOM. Ty Lue has been there for 2 or 3 years now. A man of his word. I liked Cliff, but if you can't stand on you're own 2 feet(forget how the foot issue happened) take the money and run. I'm sure Ainge and/or @ least Doc would give him a great reference.

[incoherent]

Essential in the development of Kendrick Perkins, Leon Powe, Big Baby... we may not win a ring without Cliff Ray working with our young bigs.

[Edgar]

Essential in the development of Kendrick Perkins, Leon Powe, Big Baby... we may not win a ring without Cliff Ray working with our young bigs.

absolutely
just theyre not young anymore.
and they have to play new stuff
p.s. dont forget PJ
BBD was in diapers that year

[GreenEnvy]

I thought the whole thing was bizarre and done in odd fashion. I never even knew about the infection to his foot, but according to the article he got it last summer? Paul and Delonte got it in 2006-07?

Regardless, it's unfortunate how it went down but the only way Vecsey would have this info is from either Doc or Cliff. I highly doubt Doc would say that as it could open up a lawsuit potentially (Roy H.?), so that leaves Cliff. Either Cliff felt this way and is telling people that's the reason, or Doc told him that's the reason.

My question is who is the new assistant coach that Frank brought in? I know Frank took a step down, but seriously, who gives an assistant an assistant? I haven't heard about any new AC, nor is he listed on the Celtics coaching staff (http://www.nba.com/celtics/roster/coaches/).

Also, the C's offered him a take-it-or-leave-it deal, was it such a lowball that he couldn't accept? Then they decide he is unfit to do his job?

Vecsey, from what I've read of him, usually has good inside info, but none of this makes a whole lot of sense.


The only thing I know for sure is I wish Cliff the best (health- and career-wise) and thank him for his work while he was here (most notably with Perk).

[Edgar]

i humbly think the thig is what is beneath the thing not the thing that is outside

[Mazingerz]

I honestly believe that the Celtic organization would not let this fella hang out to dry when he was instrumental to the bigs development. Something might have happened which may have caused this. He has had an impact on the celtics compared to L. Frank or Ty Lue.

[Eja117]

Wish someone would give me 100K to go away if I couldn't do a job.

[Roy H.]

I don't think I'd call a guy a charity case if he almost lost his foot due to something that happened to him on the job....

Well, what would you call him in that situation?  I mean, isn't that the definition of a charity case, giving money to somebody who can't earn it because you feel badly for their current situation?

It sucks that Ray isn't here anymore, and that he's having some foot issues, but in the NBA you have to perform physically, even as a coach.  If he couldn't do so, I can't blame the Celtics for letting him go.