"Ray Allen Shocked" D West choose Pacers over us.

[KG Living Legend]

Because of salary cap restraints, the Celtics could not offer a two-year deal. They were required to acquire West in a sign-and-trade, which means the contract had to be a minimum of three years. In what team and league sources described as a creative but complicated package, the Celtics were prepared to offer West a four-year contract with a buyout that, in the end, amounted to three years and $29 million. In other words, the average of their offer was just under $10 million (about $9.6 million).



Count veteran Ray Allen among those who can't believe West chose Indiana over Boston with such a slim difference in compensation.



"I'm shocked," Allen said. "I don't understand it."



West was a two-time All-Star for the Hornets, the first during the '08-'09 season when he averaged 21 points, 8.5 rebounds and 39.2 minutes a game. Paul lauded him as an unselfish player who was willing to do the "little things" to help the team win.

[manl_lui]

i almost thought he meant Delonte West, then i finished reading the title lol

but yeh, I'm confused too, didnt west want to play for a contender?

[byennie]

This had me all riled up too, but to be fair:

* Indiana may be a playoff team, not so far behind the Cs this year. They could be ahead of them next year. I personally don't think so, but you gotta believe Indiana was pitching that Boston isn't really that far ahead of them. It's not like he went to the TWolves.

* If he wants one more big contract, it may be important to him that he's a starter.

Really frustrating though. Bass, Garnett and West would have been a really compelling trio.

[lon3lytoaster]

Hmm? my understanding of this was New Orleans was expecting to trade CP3 to the Lakers, then once that was done, Dallas was going to take Jermaine O'Neal in under their TPE from the Tyson Chandler trade. Once LA traded Odom to Dallas, the deal fell through because no one would take JO.

If David West verbally agreed to sign in Boston, then backed out in the 25th hour, that's almost disgraceful and at the very least unprofessional.

[JOMVP]

I thought it wasnt exactly David West's choice?

NO couldn't find a third team to take on JO which is why they couldn't aquire him right?

He just took the next best offer.

[lon3lytoaster]

I thought it wasnt exactly David West's choice?

NO couldn't find a third team to take on JO which is why they couldn't aquire him right?

He just took the next best offer.

To be fair, it was his choice, and that's the same way I originally understood this, but Ray's making it sound like it was a done deal, then he backed out.

[bruinsandceltics]

This had me all riled up too, but to be fair:

* Indiana may be a playoff team, not so far behind the Cs this year. They could be ahead of them next year. I personally don't think so, but you gotta believe Indiana was pitching that Boston isn't really that far ahead of them. It's not like he went to the TWolves.

* If he wants one more big contract, it may be important to him that he's a starter.

Really frustrating though. Bass, Garnett and West would have been a really compelling trio.

Indiana might make the playoffs but they aren't even close to the level this Celtics team this year. I don't care how much people on here want to sell this team short.

DWest would have started no doubt here.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Don't think this is factual at all. David West coming here was contingent on getting a sign and trade done, we couldn't manage one because Hornets couldn't find someone to unload JO on (would've been Dallas had they not taken Odom on). So when that didn't occur, West chose Indiana.

Could he have waited some more, to see if Boston finally managed to get a sign and trade done? Sure, but he couldn't sit around hoping for this when it was entirely possible that Boston wouldn't manage to get a trade done, and then be left to choose from teams that wouldn't be able to pay him what he was looking for (and those who could, then maybe crappy teams). So, no trade done, he chose a fair 2 year deal with Indiana.

[raynman]

I believe it was more of the JO situation that made him choose Indiana. I also don't believe that it's David West's ego (as stated in that article) that made him decide that. Anyways, I hope we trash the Pacers in the playoffs and KG makes DWest regret not having signed here. We might face them in the 1st round, I'm just not sure who'll have HCA..

[LooseCannon]

but yeh, I'm confused too, didnt west want to play for a contender?

Which team is more likely to be a contender in 2012-2013?  I'm not going to call you crazy if you think it's Indiana.  Unless he is signing a one-year contract, the validity of a player's desire to play for a contender has to be evaluated beyond just this season.

[celtics2]

Good player when healthy which is rare. Good riddance.

[celticsgreen4lyf]

I don't get it either, he says he wants to be with a contender. Our starting 5 would have been one of the best in the league our front court would of been really deep.

[Celtics4ever]

It's obvious we didn't want him or he would be back as they would have got it done.

[Eddie20]

It's obvious we didn't want him or he would be back as they would have got it done.

The article is about David, not Delonte

[Fafnir]

Several reporters indicated that the sign and trade would have still been possible after the original CP3 to Lakers trade feel through.

But instead David West decided to sign the contract with the Pacers...