Say we do lose Ray.

[LarBrd33]

if we lose ray we'll regress.  He's a phenomenal shooter still... he needed ankle surgery in the playoffs.  

A guy like that is absolutely crucial to spacing the floor when you have a pass-first point guard who can't consistently create his own shot.

[celticinorlando]

still think a healthy ray can add a punch off the bench..i hear this talk about him going to miami..and we know he won't start there..but he would be pretty darn good as their 6th man...huge upgrade over mike miller, james jones and anyone shooter the heat have

i would love to keep ray. just don't see it happening..sad part is there isn't much out there free agency wise...i expect boston to keep jeff green and bass...and try to attract a guy like crawford....they need shooting off the bench

[jimmehx]

still think a healthy ray can add a punch off the bench..i hear this talk about him going to miami..and we know he won't start there..but he would be pretty darn good as their 6th man...huge upgrade over mike miller, james jones and anyone shooter the heat have

Battier is now a better spot-up 3pt shooter. Absolutely.

[BballTim]

still think a healthy ray can add a punch off the bench..i hear this talk about him going to miami..and we know he won't start there..but he would be pretty darn good as their 6th man...huge upgrade over mike miller, james jones and anyone shooter the heat have

Battier is now a better spot-up 3pt shooter. Absolutely.

  Better than Ray? Seriously? It's possible he hits wide open shots slightly better than Ray hits contested jumpers but I wouldn't go past that.

[hpantazo]

still think a healthy ray can add a punch off the bench..i hear this talk about him going to miami..and we know he won't start there..but he would be pretty darn good as their 6th man...huge upgrade over mike miller, james jones and anyone shooter the heat have

Battier is now a better spot-up 3pt shooter. Absolutely.

  Better than Ray? Seriously? It's possible he hits wide open shots slightly better than Ray hits contested jumpers but I wouldn't go past that.

Ray is clearly the better spot up shooter, but Battier is a far better defender. I'm not so sure the heat should bench Battier to play Ray.

[More Banners]

still think a healthy ray can add a punch off the bench..i hear this talk about him going to miami..and we know he won't start there..but he would be pretty darn good as their 6th man...huge upgrade over mike miller, james jones and anyone shooter the heat have

Battier is now a better spot-up 3pt shooter. Absolutely.

  Better than Ray? Seriously? It's possible he hits wide open shots slightly better than Ray hits contested jumpers but I wouldn't go past that.

Ray is clearly the better spot up shooter, but Battier is a far better defender. I'm not so sure the heat should bench Battier to play Ray.

I would be very interested to see how Ray's defense would be if he didn't have to run around in circles the whole game on the offensive end, however...

His best attributes are two:  shooting (and the spacing that comes with it), and that he's a vet who makes very, very few mistakes.  Ever.  He's an incredibly smart player.

So, like Scal, he's a great teammate to have around young players, since they'll make mistakes and will develop better next to players like Ray and Rondo that can coach them on the floor.

In a limited role, Ray is a great asset for the team, but there were signs this season that Ray isn't quite mentally ready for a limited role.  If he comes back, it has to be with the same "no-guarantees" deal that the other veterans we've signed since 07 have had to accept (e.g. Shaq).

I'm expecting him to leave.

I like the talent in the draft at the forward spots, and with JGreen still presumed to be around for a while and JJJ in the fold, I think we'll get scoring from the F positions in the future.  As long as we get great perimeter defense and versatility at the SG spot, we'll be good.  It's why Bradley fits so well, TA fit reasonably well, Delonte fit so well, why adding Dooling made sense, and why Heinrich would be a fantastic addition.

[hpantazo]

still think a healthy ray can add a punch off the bench..i hear this talk about him going to miami..and we know he won't start there..but he would be pretty darn good as their 6th man...huge upgrade over mike miller, james jones and anyone shooter the heat have

Battier is now a better spot-up 3pt shooter. Absolutely.

  Better than Ray? Seriously? It's possible he hits wide open shots slightly better than Ray hits contested jumpers but I wouldn't go past that.

Ray is clearly the better spot up shooter, but Battier is a far better defender. I'm not so sure the heat should bench Battier to play Ray.

I would be very interested to see how Ray's defense would be if he didn't have to run around in circles the whole game on the offensive end, however...

His best attributes are two:  shooting (and the spacing that comes with it), and that he's a vet who makes very, very few mistakes.  Ever.  He's an incredibly smart player.

So, like Scal, he's a great teammate to have around young players, since they'll make mistakes and will develop better next to players like Ray and Rondo that can coach them on the floor.

In a limited role, Ray is a great asset for the team, but there were signs this season that Ray isn't quite mentally ready for a limited role.  If he comes back, it has to be with the same "no-guarantees" deal that the other veterans we've signed since 07 have had to accept (e.g. Shaq).

I'm expecting him to leave.

I like the talent in the draft at the forward spots, and with JGreen still presumed to be around for a while and JJJ in the fold, I think we'll get scoring from the F positions in the future.  As long as we get great perimeter defense and versatility at the SG spot, we'll be good.  It's why Bradley fits so well, TA fit reasonably well, Delonte fit so well, why adding Dooling made sense, and why Heinrich would be a fantastic addition.

I agree, especially with Hinrich being a great addition if we could get him at the right price.

[jimmehx]

still think a healthy ray can add a punch off the bench..i hear this talk about him going to miami..and we know he won't start there..but he would be pretty darn good as their 6th man...huge upgrade over mike miller, james jones and anyone shooter the heat have

Battier is now a better spot-up 3pt shooter. Absolutely.

  Better than Ray? Seriously? It's possible he hits wide open shots slightly better than Ray hits contested jumpers but I wouldn't go past that.

I really think so. I don't have the numbers and I'm probably easily proved wrong but I'd take Battier over Ray at this point even without his defense.

I'm not all that concerned if Ray leaves and I'm sure he will.

[bfrombleacher]

still think a healthy ray can add a punch off the bench..i hear this talk about him going to miami..and we know he won't start there..but he would be pretty darn good as their 6th man...huge upgrade over mike miller, james jones and anyone shooter the heat have

Battier is now a better spot-up 3pt shooter. Absolutely.

  Better than Ray? Seriously? It's possible he hits wide open shots slightly better than Ray hits contested jumpers but I wouldn't go past that.

Ray is clearly the better spot up shooter, but Battier is a far better defender. I'm not so sure the heat should bench Battier to play Ray.

I vomited in my mouth a little. A game plan for the Heat involving Ray Allen.

[2short]

I would sign some gunner off the bench...maybe Jamal Crawford...or even Kirk hinrich.

I think Kirk Hinrich would be a great fit on our team at the right price.  He is a great defensive player, which we always want, and he can shoot the ball, which we definitely need.  He could also be a great backup PG for Rondo.

He would be a massive upgrade over Dooling.

guy I've wanted on our team for some time, very good 2 position player
i'd still love the starting backcourt of rondo and bradley but kirk could play either guard position , a huge upgrade from any sub backcourt guy we've had (not counting ray)

[Yogi]

Ray is the most underrated guy in the Celtics.  Just watch a Celtics game before comparing him to a role player.  Ray does everything well.  His IQ and skills are elite.  Before his injury he was spectacular.  He played better than Battier on one leg in the post season.  NEVER mention his name in with the ranks of Battier, Miller (M not R), Jones, Novak etc.  That's comparing Beethoven to Beiber.

[mqtcelticsfan]

John Jenkins or Doron Lamb would be my choices over a FA if we had to try to replace Ray.

[tyrone biggums]

Being down in South Florida has been crappy the last two weeks, they had speculation on what number Ray Allen is going to wear and if Riley can show KG his ring collection to join Ray in South Beach. They're acting like its a done deal for Ray Allen to join the ring chasers

[BballTim]

still think a healthy ray can add a punch off the bench..i hear this talk about him going to miami..and we know he won't start there..but he would be pretty darn good as their 6th man...huge upgrade over mike miller, james jones and anyone shooter the heat have

Battier is now a better spot-up 3pt shooter. Absolutely.

  Better than Ray? Seriously? It's possible he hits wide open shots slightly better than Ray hits contested jumpers but I wouldn't go past that.

I really think so. I don't have the numbers and I'm probably easily proved wrong but I'd take Battier over Ray at this point even without his defense.

I'm not all that concerned if Ray leaves and I'm sure he will.

  Ray spends much of his time on offense trying to shake his man so he can get enough seperation to get a shot off. Battier stands still in one spot and waits to see if he gets the ball when his man gives him 6-8 feet of space. I think we'll survive if Ray leaves, but Battier isn't in his league as a shooter.

[BballTim]

if we lose ray we'll regress.  He's a phenomenal shooter still... he needed ankle surgery in the playoffs.  

A guy like that is absolutely crucial to spacing the floor when you have a pass-first point guard who can't consistently create his own shot.

  We seemed to be pretty successful late in the year when Ray was out of the lineup.