The Celtics have been in a funk and other league contenders are rumored to be making efforts to upgrade their own rosters for a title run.
With the window on the Big Three closing, Danny Ainge is reported to be entertaining offers for former UConn Husky Ray Allen and his $19.7 million expiring contract.
The main goal is to compete this season. Hopefully, a trade will upgrade the teams’ chances for a few years out, say until Kevin Garnett’s contract is up.
Ray has been mentioned in separate deals for the Bulls’ Kirk Hinrich, the Kings’ Kevin Martin, and the Wizards’ Antawn Jamison.
While a number of league sources say that Danny is shopping Ray, Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald says that Danny is gauging value for Ray but is reluctant to trade him.
Murphy….
The team continues to measure the veteran guard’s appeal on the market, but Ainge is reluctant to pull the trigger. Allen still is considered an important asset and likely will finish the season with the Celts.
‘Likely finish the season with the Celtics’ is the part that is hard to believe with so many rumors making it public.
But according to Murphy, the Celtics have decided not to take on 33 year old Jamison’s expensive ($30 million) two year contract calling him ‘too old and expensive.”
Garnett, Pierce and Rondo Protest Trade
While the Celtics main starters all say that breaking up the starting five isn’t necessary and they can get it together in the second half of the season, there has been little indication that will occur to this point.
Ray is aware of his name being out there and said this to A. Sherrod Blakely of csnne.com…
“Regardless of where I am, my job never changes,” he told CSNNE.com on Monday night. “One thing I learned when I first got to the league, there are so many things that you’re not going to be able to control, so don’t worry about them. That’s how I lived my life.”
And…
“Organizationally, we’re lucky to be part of an organization that wants to win,” Allen said. “From that aspect, winning a championship is not guaranteed. That’s why we’re all fortunate to be here. If that changes with me, I have to move on and figure out the best way that I can help myself.”
Teams have until Thursday to make trades. As teams follow through on trades and take certain players off the table, it may open up things for the Celtics to make a deal as it draws closer to the Thursday deadline.
Allen has been a fan favorite in his short time as a Celtic and it would be difficult to see him go. Ray has made it clear that he would like to remain a Celtic and re-sign with the team though he understands that this is first and foremost a business. Ray has been trade twice before, from Milwaukee to Seattle, and then to the Celtics.
I’ll keep you posted.
