Will Anyone Retire Ray Allen's Jersey Number?

[JSD]

Clearly, a first ballot Hall of Famer. However, did Ray spend enough time in one location to have his number retired? Has there ever been a first ballot Hall of Famer without his number retired somewhere?


I would say his best chances are with the Miami Heat, an organization that retired Michael Jordan's jersey number for some reason.

[RockinRyA]

If Seattle gets a franchise probably.

[Roy H.]

Probably not, unless there's a very unexpected reconciliation with the Celts.

[slamtheking]

I doubt it.  not enough time in any of the locations he played.  Personally, when thinking of Ray, the first franchise that pops in my head is the Sonics but I doubt they'd retire his number.

[Moranis]

I could see any of the Bucks, Thunder, or Celtics doing it but could also see all 3 not do it.

[Big333223]

It's a good question.

That 2001 Bucks team was their best team of the last 30 years and that's where he was drafted and had his longest tenure (6.5 seasons). 3 all star teams there.

Maybe that's enough for a Bucks team light on history. I don't know.

[RockinRyA]

I could see any of the Bucks, Thunder, or Celtics doing it but could also see all 3 not do it.

I dont see the Thunder doing it. I dont think the Thunder want people to say that they are the same franchise as the Sonics, they want their own identity.

[bdm860]

Taking a look at the Bucks, and how loose they might be with their retired jersey standards:

They last retired Bob Dandridge in 2015.  He was part of their '71 title team and spent 9 years there and was a 3x All Star with them.  Before that it was Kareem in '93.  Bob Lanier probably has the weakest resume, 278 regular season and 45 post season games, and some unremarkable stats (13.5/6/3 and 15/7.6/3.5 in regular season and post season).

Now think about this
Glenn Robinson spent 8 seasons with the Bucks, and avg 20.7/6.1/2.7 while a 2x All-Star
Ray Allen spent 6 1/2 seasons with the Bucks, and avg 19.6/4.6/3.8 while a 3x All-Star

Robinson retired in 2005 and still doesn't have his jersey retired, can't see them retiring Ray's before his.  If they retire these guys at all, it's going to be one of those 20+ years in the future type things.


For the Sonics/Thunder:
The Thunder left all the Sonic trophies and banners in Seattle, they're basically 2 completely separate franchises, so no way they retire Ray's number.

The Sonics on the other hand, well if Seattle ever gets another team, I'm sure they'll retire some old jerseys, but Ray would definitely be behind Payton and Kemp, and probably even Schrempf (6 seasons, 2x All-Star, 52 playoff games, compared to Ray's 4 1/2 seasons, 4x All Star, 11 playoff games).

We all know Boston is very generous with retired jerseys and I could have sworn Riley promised to retire Ray's jersey if he went to Miami (but can't seem to find any mention of it now).  So I think it comes down to Boston and/or Miami.  I could see either of them doing it or not doing it, but if either do I think it will be far off into the future.

Has there ever been a first ballot Hall of Famer without his number retired somewhere?

Gary Payton

[RMO]

Considering the very pivotal shot he made to turn the series against the Spurs and the fact they've retired the number of a player who didn't play one minute for their team I'd say the Heat.

[Moranis]

I could see any of the Bucks, Thunder, or Celtics doing it but could also see all 3 not do it.

I dont see the Thunder doing it. I dont think the Thunder want people to say that they are the same franchise as the Sonics, they want their own identity.

they are the same franchise though. Have all the same records and what not

[jambr380]

I could see any of the Bucks, Thunder, or Celtics doing it but could also see all 3 not do it.

I dont see the Thunder doing it. I dont think the Thunder want people to say that they are the same franchise as the Sonics, they want their own identity.

they are the same franchise though. Have all the same records and what not

Yeah, I have a whole thread idea I am ready to post in the offseason about this very concept. Russell Westbrook, their franchise player and the likely MVP this season, was drafted by the Sonics. If Seattle gets another team and calls it the Sonics, which team will Westbrook have really been drafted by? It drives me crazy!

If Allen does get his number retired by a team, I expect it will be by a team 'desperate' for star power in their rafters. The Bucks or 'new' Sonics (who will have no affiliation with Allen) are the most likely teams.

Note: If the Lakers had changed their name when they moved to LA (as many other teams seem to do - see Thunder, Pelicans, Ravens, etc), they would only have 11 championships instead of 16. The name Lakers is ridiculous for an LA team anyway - it's like they are only doing it so they can have all 16 championships attached to their legacy.

[Donoghus]

OKC really does a knock up job acknowledging their history on their website.  Especially the Sonics days.

[Redz]

I could see any of the Bucks, Thunder, or Celtics doing it but could also see all 3 not do it.

I dont see the Thunder doing it. I dont think the Thunder want people to say that they are the same franchise as the Sonics, they want their own identity.

they are the same franchise though. Have all the same records and what not

Yeah, I have a whole thread idea I am ready to post in the offseason about this very concept. Russell Westbrook, their franchise player and the likely MVP this season, was drafted by the Sonics. If Seattle gets another team and calls it the Sonics, which team will Westbrook have really been drafted by? It drives me crazy!

If Allen does get his number retired by a team, I expect it will be by a team 'desperate' for star power in their rafters. The Bucks or 'new' Sonics (who will have no affiliation with Allen) are the most likely teams.

Note: If the Lakers had changed their name when they moved to LA (as many other teams seem to do - see Thunder, Pelicans, Ravens, etc), they would only have 11 championships instead of 16. The name Lakers is ridiculous for an LA team anyway - it's like they are only doing it so they can have all 16 championships attached to their legacy.

The Cleveland Browns / Ravens stuff still bugs me a bit.  Records should stay with the franchise regardless of name change.

[celticsclay]

I could see any of the teams doing it also, but would be kind of pathetic to retire his jersey after two seasons in Miami. Shot or no shot. You can't really set that sort of precedence for your franchise not to mention it would miff a lot of players that have played there a lot longer and had their moments.

Wouldn't they have to retire Shaq for also leading them to a title and making multiple all-star teams?
Glen Rice played there 6 seasons and was really the face of their franchise in the early going
Then you obviously have to do Bosh, Wade and James if you do Allen (where I could see Riley being reluctant out of pettiness to do James).
Then you have someone like Haslem, while never an all-star, has now played for them for 14 seasons and counting and will be their all-time leaders in games played, tied for championships etc.

All of a sudden they are jumping from 3 retired numbers to like 8 or 9 just to justify allen?

[Big333223]

I could see any of the Bucks, Thunder, or Celtics doing it but could also see all 3 not do it.

I dont see the Thunder doing it. I dont think the Thunder want people to say that they are the same franchise as the Sonics, they want their own identity.

they are the same franchise though. Have all the same records and what not

Yeah, I have a whole thread idea I am ready to post in the offseason about this very concept. Russell Westbrook, their franchise player and the likely MVP this season, was drafted by the Sonics. If Seattle gets another team and calls it the Sonics, which team will Westbrook have really been drafted by? It drives me crazy!

If Allen does get his number retired by a team, I expect it will be by a team 'desperate' for star power in their rafters. The Bucks or 'new' Sonics (who will have no affiliation with Allen) are the most likely teams.

Note: If the Lakers had changed their name when they moved to LA (as many other teams seem to do - see Thunder, Pelicans, Ravens, etc), they would only have 11 championships instead of 16. The name Lakers is ridiculous for an LA team anyway - it's like they are only doing it so they can have all 16 championships attached to their legacy.

It's so fascinating. The Charlotte Hornets thing is fun. The Hornets left Charlotte for New Orleans but were still the same "franchise" so, as far as I remember, retained all of the Charlotte Hornets' records even after the Bobcats came to Charlotte. But when the NO Hornets changed their named to the Pelicans, the Charlotte Bobcats dumped Bobcats as a name and went back to Hornets and now, as far as I know, are considered the same team that existed in the 90's.

Crazy.

The best thing that could happen would be the Lakers decide to change their name (it would never happen) and then the Timberwolves change theirs to the Minneapolis Lakers and usurp those 5 championships from the 50's.