Why did Doc tell us that Ray requested relegation to bench?

[Prof. Clutch]

that #3 quote by ray.... very telling and thats when things start going south.

the fact that he wasnt ok with being benched is huge. it means he has an ego and he couldnt accept the fact that someone played better than him. thats not what the "big 3" was originally about. it was about sacrifice, and he couldnt sacrifice without his ego  at the end of the day.

Haha.  Gotta give you a BIG TP for that sig of yours.  That got a laugh out of me.

[RockinRyA]

I think roy is right, but there was also something missing from the quote. something along the lines of "im not really comfortable with coming off the bench, but if it will make the team better etc"

my read at that time was he was reluctant, but would have no choice but to accept. probably only for show though,as its coming out now that he really didnt want that.

[Ogaju]

does anyone think he feels betrayed by the other two members of the big 3?

[Celtics Fan]

No. That why we need to hear Ray out but he hasn't release a statement or nothing.

[BballTim]

Here's how I remember it:

1.  Team is playing better without Ray;

2.  Subject of Ray being benched comes up;

3.  Ray at first makes a strange quote, something along the lines of "If it will make the team's offense better, then yeah, I'll go to the bench".

4.  Fans start clamoring very loudly for Bradley to start;

5.  Doc indicates that Ray is fine with coming off the bench.

My thought at the time was that Ray never wanted to come off the bench -- thus, the "if it helps the *offense*" line -- and wasn't particularly happy about being benched, but he tried to be a good soldier.

EDIT:  Here's Ray's quote at the time:

For his part, Allen says he would graciously accept such a move if coach Doc Rivers sees fit.

“If it makes us better offensively, I have no problem with it,” Allen said.

I always thought that was strange, and wondered if it suggested that the benching wasn't as willing as was being reported.  The flip side is perhaps Ray was suggesting that the entire offense would be better if he was the 6th man, but that's never how I read it.

 So since his likely replacement was a defensive specialist, he makes the statement that he's ok with it if it makes us better *offensively*, not if it just makes us better. That explains things.

[gar]

Its impossible to reduce down to one quote. Its not just between doc and ray it is the whole team dynamic. PP and KG have a relationship with Ray too; but Ray was always his own man. He always had his own way of doing things. I think he was really hurt by all the trade rumors. The coming off the bench thing was never the whole deal.

The fact that the loyalty showed to KG and PP was not extended to him in spite of all that he and his family invested in this community had to hurt.

He know that as long as he was on the C's he would be subject to trade talk. A question I have is if he could have negotiated a no trade clause with the C's.

[Ogaju]

he was offered a no trade that is what makes this weird.

[BudweiserCeltic]

he was offered a no trade that is what makes this weird.

I haven't heard any confirmation on this, so let's not assume it was offered. I doubt it was.

[clover]

he was offered a no trade that is what makes this weird.

I haven't heard any confirmation on this, so let's not assume it was offered. I doubt it was.

It has been in the press from a 'team source' that he was offered his choice of either a no-trade clause or a trade kicker.

[RJ87]

Its impossible to reduce down to one quote. Its not just between doc and ray it is the whole team dynamic. PP and KG have a relationship with Ray too; but Ray was always his own man. He always had his own way of doing things. I think he was really hurt by all the trade rumors. The coming off the bench thing was never the whole deal.

The fact that the loyalty showed to KG and PP was not extended to him in spite of all that he and his family invested in this community had to hurt.

He know that as long as he was on the C's he would be subject to trade talk. A question I have is if he could have negotiated a no trade clause with the C's.

Reportedly, Paul was offered to the Nets for a 1st rounder. And we even heard mumblings revolving around KG and Atlanta. Being involved in trade talks is part of the million dollar gig these guys have.

Its ironic that when the season started, everyone was worried that Rondo would react badly to all the CP3 trade talks because of his "issues with immaturity" but now that the season has ended, its Ray - the supposed consummate professional - that couldn't deal with hearing his name in rumors.

[BudweiserCeltic]

he was offered a no trade that is what makes this weird.

I haven't heard any confirmation on this, so let's not assume it was offered. I doubt it was.

It has been in the press from a 'team source' that he was offered his choice of either a no-trade clause or a trade kicker.

That's not what was said. Last I saw was some cryptic "may be ready to offer" or something like that. The only thing I've seen somewhat confirmed is a 2 year, 12 million offer. Nothing more. Ray was clearly looking for a 3 year deal.

[RJ87]

he was offered a no trade that is what makes this weird.

I haven't heard any confirmation on this, so let's not assume it was offered. I doubt it was.

It has been in the press from a 'team source' that he was offered his choice of either a no-trade clause or a trade kicker.

That's not what was said. Last I saw was some cryptic "may be ready to offer" or something like that. The only thing I've seen somewhat confirmed is a 2 year, 12 million offer. Nothing more. Ray was clearly looking for a 3 year deal.

Yeah, a 3 year deal where he demanded 3x what Miami could give him.

[BudweiserCeltic]

he was offered a no trade that is what makes this weird.

I haven't heard any confirmation on this, so let's not assume it was offered. I doubt it was.

It has been in the press from a 'team source' that he was offered his choice of either a no-trade clause or a trade kicker.

That's not what was said. Last I saw was some cryptic "may be ready to offer" or something like that. The only thing I've seen somewhat confirmed is a 2 year, 12 million offer. Nothing more. Ray was clearly looking for a 3 year deal.

Yeah, a 3 year deal where he demanded 3x what Miami could give him.

Which I think was absurd from him to demand it of us, though I think he's worth that type of deal. Just not for us and our current make-up.

I would've loved to have seen rumors of a 3-year 15-18 million offer, and see what Ray would do with it. I think that would have been fair for everyone.

In all, I don't think the Celtics really pushed that hard to keep Ray here, but that's my opinion, and I think Ray on the other hand was asking too much of us to remain. And his move to accept the Heat deal of 3 years for 9 million is complete horsecrap in my opinion.

[fairweatherfan06]

Here's the link: http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2012/04/ray-allen-requested-to-come-off-the-bench/

 (which quotes a Herald article) but I'll post the whole thing.

It amounts to Doc was hesitant to ask Ray to do it Ray sensed it was coming and let him off the hook by asking him first but he didn't like the change but he was willing (at that time) to take one for the team.  Here is all of it:

Ray Allen Requested to Come Off the Bench


When Ray Allen returned to the Celtics’ lineup from injury, people in Boston wondered if Doc Rivers would bring him off the bench, and keep Avery Bradley (who has played very well during Allen’s absence) in the starting lineup. Ray, supposedly, made the decision a lot easier for his coach. Per the Boston Herald: “The NBA had a small tremor last night. Avery Bradley started, which is no longer news. But the player who came off the bench in his stead, Ray Allen, was a sub for only the fifth time in his career — with last night the 1,145th game of the Celtics guard’s career. As it turns out, Allen approached Doc Rivers about making the change. The Celtics veteran could sense that a change was coming. ‘Well, people were talking about it,’ he said after the Celtics’ 93-86 loss to the Bulls. ‘It was being talked about a lot. I can’t say that it was my idea — I don’t ever want to come off the bench. But if it can help the team, and that’s what they needed me to do, then I would be up for it. At the end of the day your minutes don’t change, and that’s one thing I’m very cognizant about when I’m out there in the flow,’ said Allen. ‘It’s an ego thing to start, and my ego is not that big where I feel I have to be in the starting lineup.’ Those words from Allen, who finished with 14 points on 5-for-10 shooting and played the last nine minutes of the fourth quarter, were like music to Rivers. ‘We’ve been talking about this for awhile,’ said the Celtics coach. ‘Our bench is very lean and we’ve been trying to go with some different looks. Ray came to me tonight and wanted to do it. We’re just trying to get ready for the playoffs and our rotations.’”

[wahz]

I have been in the anti Ray crowd for 3 days. But what I thought at the time about the "offense better" comment was as simple as him saying to us that hey everyone knows the defense is fine and the offense sucks. Therefore, if me going to the bench makes the offense better, probably by making the second team more capable, sure Im ok with that.

That's what I thought. Now it sounds like he is a fool that hated deferring to those he feels are inferior to him. Classic egomaniac. And he is wrong because he was the main guy with the second unit, even when he started, for a long time...and he couldn't do much to generate o. He just can't slash, has a poor handle and can't get to his spot fast. He is far from 1998 Ray Allen. And these festering resentments are NOTHING compared to how poorly he will get treated in Miami.

Maybe they will march him out as the spokesman for the team postgame. I honestly think that is what they will do and he got off on that.