The latest on Ray's "reasons" for leaving from Jackie MacMullan

[arambone]

If pierce had gone to New Jersey, they'd have Deron/Joe/Pierce/Hump/Lopez

They'd be better overall.

That's true. And the Celtics would not have made it to Game 7 of the ECF last year, and wouldn't be as good this year.

Who would have been the pick at #6? Actually, KG might well have retired or signed elsewhere.

[alley oop]

A longer version of the article:

"Ray plays down the rift
Despite departure and a recent war of words, he says he'll always be a Celtic"

http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/8551446/ray-allen-plays-rift-boston-celtics

[indeedproceed]

If pierce had gone to New Jersey, they'd have Deron/Joe/Pierce/Hump/Lopez

They'd be better overall.

That's true. And the Celtics would not have made it to Game 7 of the ECF last year, and wouldn't be as good this year.

Who would have been the pick at #6? Actually, KG might well have retired or signed elsewhere.

That's all true. Probably would've been Drummond.

[csfansince60s]

A longer version of the article:

"Ray plays down the rift
Despite departure and a recent war of words, he says he'll always be a Celtic"

http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/8551446/ray-allen-plays-rift-boston-celtics

"Always be a Celtic" to whom?...the organization?....his former teammates?.....most of the fans?....himself?

I think the answer is "none of the above".

In one of those 3 interviews that he did on the same day, Judas said something to the effect of "they (the fans) shouldn't be booing me....they should be booing the TEAM..THEY put me in a position where I had to leave."

Sounds like a true Celtic to me....NOT.....go away Judas.

[GreenFaith1819]

A longer version of the article:

"Ray plays down the rift
Despite departure and a recent war of words, he says he'll always be a Celtic"

http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/8551446/ray-allen-plays-rift-boston-celtics

Well, it's nice to see him say that...I just hope that he  defuses this back and forth mess that he's stooped to all of a sudden...

Ray - don't get caught up in the hype that is called MIAMI.....that is NOT you...

Just let this stuff GO...don't tarnish your legacy (in my eyes), by continuing on with the war of words.

[bruinsandceltics]

Dear Ray Allen,  please watch this and grow up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxyhfiCO_XQ

sincerely Boston

This.

"I hate it when my coach doesn't call me and tell me how much he wants me back...but instead offers me $6M a year to play rather than $3M a year to play."

Screw you Ray. BOO THAT MAN.

[bruinsandceltics]

A longer version of the article:

"Ray plays down the rift
Despite departure and a recent war of words, he says he'll always be a Celtic"

http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/8551446/ray-allen-plays-rift-boston-celtics

No, no he won't. He is a Heat. He is no longer a Celtic and will never be a Celtic again. He isn't welcome back.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

If pierce had gone to New Jersey, they'd have Deron/Joe/Pierce/Hump/Lopez

They'd be better overall.

Does that even work money wise?

[LarBrd33]

If pierce had gone to New Jersey, they'd have Deron/Joe/Pierce/Hump/Lopez

They'd be better overall.

That's true. And the Celtics would not have made it to Game 7 of the ECF last year, and wouldn't be as good this year.

Who would have been the pick at #6? Actually, KG might well have retired or signed elsewhere.

That's all true. Probably would've been Drummond.

Call me CRAAAAAZY, but for a number of reasons, I'd actually bite on trading Pierce for Drummond right now.

#1 - Boston's roster is flawed.  We have 4 shooting guards, we're paying a starting SF to come off the bench, a 37 year old PF and a couple mediocre bigs in Sullinger and Bass.  I'd love a legit center prospect.

#2 - When it comes to raw center prospects, there's not much better than Drummond.  Total physical freak...6-10 270 pounds of pure raw athleticm.  Only 19 years old. 

#3 - He's actually already showing signs in Preseason.  16 MPG he's averaged 8.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 blocks with 61% shooting.  In the one game he got 25 minutes, he put up 19, 10 and 2.  Huge prospect right there.

#4 - At the time it would have been about shedding massive amounts of salary.  For the sake of argument, trading Pierce (16.7 mil this year) for Drummond (2.3 mil this year) saves us 14 mil.  Doesn't really matter at this point, because of the Terry, Bass and Green contracts... so not like it would put us under the cap to make a run at Josh Smith in this upcoming offseason. Still. 

#5 - We are already paying Jeff Green starters money... might as well start him at his natural SF position. 

#6 - Pierce is 35 years old.  If the idea was the rebuild around Rondo, getting a 19 year old big man prospect makes a bit of sense. 

PG - Rondo (26), SG - Bradley (21), SF - Green (26), PF - Sullinger (20) and C - Drummond (19) would be a nice foundation for a rebuild.

[jdz101]

If pierce had gone to New Jersey, they'd have Deron/Joe/Pierce/Hump/Lopez

They'd be better overall.

That's true. And the Celtics would not have made it to Game 7 of the ECF last year, and wouldn't be as good this year.

Who would have been the pick at #6? Actually, KG might well have retired or signed elsewhere.

That's all true. Probably would've been Drummond.

Call me CRAAAAAZY, but for a number of reasons, I'd actually bite on trading Pierce for Drummond right now.

#1 - Boston's roster is flawed.  We have 4 shooting guards, we're paying a starting SF to come off the bench, a 37 year old PF and a couple mediocre bigs in Sullinger and Bass.  I'd love a legit center prospect.

#2 - When it comes to raw center prospects, there's not much better than Drummond.  Total physical freak...6-10 270 pounds of pure raw athleticm.  Only 19 years old. 

#3 - He's actually already showing signs in Preseason.  16 MPG he's averaged 8.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 blocks with 61% shooting.  In the one game he got 25 minutes, he put up 19, 10 and 2.  Huge prospect right there.

#4 - At the time it would have been about shedding massive amounts of salary.  For the sake of argument, trading Pierce (16.7 mil this year) for Drummond (2.3 mil this year) saves us 14 mil.  Doesn't really matter at this point, because of the Terry, Bass and Green contracts... so not like it would put us under the cap to make a run at Josh Smith in this upcoming offseason. Still. 

#5 - We are already paying Jeff Green starters money... might as well start him at his natural SF position. 

#6 - Pierce is 35 years old.  If the idea was the rebuild around Rondo, getting a 19 year old big man prospect makes a bit of sense. 

PG - Rondo (26), SG - Bradley (21), SF - Green (26), PF - Sullinger (20) and C - Drummond (19) would be a nice foundation for a rebuild.

When you were a couple of loose balls away from playing finals basketball you don't trade away your teams veteran scoring leader for an unpolished, raw "prospect" at center. The fact that you're even reconsidering that trade with the benefit of hindsight baffles me.

Not sure what some people's obsession is here with trading away a winning team for young talent that require 3 or 4 years of development to be competitive NBA players.

Rebuilding sucks. Losing games sucks.

If I could choose between a veteran Boston team with a sprinkling of young pieces and someone like the Kings who constantly have to look for mercenary vets every offseason, I know who I'd choose. Give me the winners.

[KGs Knee]

Poor Ray.  I kinda feel bad for him though.  Every word that comes out of his mouth lately makes him look worse.  He just can't help himself, it seems.

Oh well, truck Ray Allen....Boooooo!!!!!!

[LarBrd33]

If pierce had gone to New Jersey, they'd have Deron/Joe/Pierce/Hump/Lopez

They'd be better overall.

That's true. And the Celtics would not have made it to Game 7 of the ECF last year, and wouldn't be as good this year.

Who would have been the pick at #6? Actually, KG might well have retired or signed elsewhere.

That's all true. Probably would've been Drummond.

Call me CRAAAAAZY, but for a number of reasons, I'd actually bite on trading Pierce for Drummond right now.

#1 - Boston's roster is flawed.  We have 4 shooting guards, we're paying a starting SF to come off the bench, a 37 year old PF and a couple mediocre bigs in Sullinger and Bass.  I'd love a legit center prospect.

#2 - When it comes to raw center prospects, there's not much better than Drummond.  Total physical freak...6-10 270 pounds of pure raw athleticm.  Only 19 years old. 

#3 - He's actually already showing signs in Preseason.  16 MPG he's averaged 8.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 blocks with 61% shooting.  In the one game he got 25 minutes, he put up 19, 10 and 2.  Huge prospect right there.

#4 - At the time it would have been about shedding massive amounts of salary.  For the sake of argument, trading Pierce (16.7 mil this year) for Drummond (2.3 mil this year) saves us 14 mil.  Doesn't really matter at this point, because of the Terry, Bass and Green contracts... so not like it would put us under the cap to make a run at Josh Smith in this upcoming offseason. Still. 

#5 - We are already paying Jeff Green starters money... might as well start him at his natural SF position. 

#6 - Pierce is 35 years old.  If the idea was the rebuild around Rondo, getting a 19 year old big man prospect makes a bit of sense. 

PG - Rondo (26), SG - Bradley (21), SF - Green (26), PF - Sullinger (20) and C - Drummond (19) would be a nice foundation for a rebuild.

When you were a couple of loose balls away from playing finals basketball you don't trade away your teams veteran scoring leader for an unpolished, raw "prospect" at center. The fact that you're even reconsidering that trade with the benefit of hindsight baffles me.

Not sure what some people's obsession is here with trading away a winning team for young talent that require 3 or 4 years of development to be competitive NBA players.

Rebuilding sucks. Losing games sucks.

If I could choose between a veteran Boston team with a sprinkling of young pieces and someone like the Kings who constantly have to look for mercenary vets every offseason, I know who I'd choose. Give me the winners.

True... we theoretically came close to making the finals until LeBron took over...

But this year isn't last year. And Pierce isn't getting any younger.  WE've been beaten by Miami two years in a row.  I wouldn't feel too bad prepping for the future.  And like I said, Jeff Green can start at SF.  We are already paying him like a starter.

[LooseCannon]

I'd say the Celtics are paying Green as if he is a Sixth Man of the Year candidate.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

If pierce had gone to New Jersey, they'd have Deron/Joe/Pierce/Hump/Lopez

They'd be better overall.

That's true. And the Celtics would not have made it to Game 7 of the ECF last year, and wouldn't be as good this year.

Who would have been the pick at #6? Actually, KG might well have retired or signed elsewhere.

That's all true. Probably would've been Drummond.

Call me CRAAAAAZY, but for a number of reasons, I'd actually bite on trading Pierce for Drummond right now.

#1 - Boston's roster is flawed.  We have 4 shooting guards, we're paying a starting SF to come off the bench, a 37 year old PF and a couple mediocre bigs in Sullinger and Bass.  I'd love a legit center prospect.

#2 - When it comes to raw center prospects, there's not much better than Drummond.  Total physical freak...6-10 270 pounds of pure raw athleticm.  Only 19 years old. 

#3 - He's actually already showing signs in Preseason.  16 MPG he's averaged 8.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 blocks with 61% shooting.  In the one game he got 25 minutes, he put up 19, 10 and 2.  Huge prospect right there.

#4 - At the time it would have been about shedding massive amounts of salary.  For the sake of argument, trading Pierce (16.7 mil this year) for Drummond (2.3 mil this year) saves us 14 mil.  Doesn't really matter at this point, because of the Terry, Bass and Green contracts... so not like it would put us under the cap to make a run at Josh Smith in this upcoming offseason. Still. 

#5 - We are already paying Jeff Green starters money... might as well start him at his natural SF position. 

#6 - Pierce is 35 years old.  If the idea was the rebuild around Rondo, getting a 19 year old big man prospect makes a bit of sense. 

PG - Rondo (26), SG - Bradley (21), SF - Green (26), PF - Sullinger (20) and C - Drummond (19) would be a nice foundation for a rebuild.

All I would like to know is when did the NBA start letting you trade 16mil for 2mil? I didn't know you could and I'm being dead serious. I thought you had to almost match salary with any trade with it being within a couple mil or so. If what I think is true, that is one reason why I wouldn't do it. The 2nd reason (there are many other reasons), we are trying to win a championship, right now Drummond can't help us do that! I would make a long list on why I wouldn't do this but I'm too sleepy...

[LooseCannon]

You can trade $16m in salary for $2m in salary if the other team has cap space.  (There is no cap space in this case.)