RAY ALLEN GOES TO THE HEAT

Allen chooses to sign with Miami Heat

BOSTON.COM
By Tim Reynolds
AP Sports Writer / July 6, 2012

MIAMI—Ray Allen will take less money for a chance at another NBA championship.

Allen told the Miami Heat on Friday night that he intends to accept their contract offer and leave Boston after five seasons, even though the Celtics could pay him about twice as much as the reigning NBA champions will be able to next season. Miami could only offer Allen the mini mid-level, worth about $3 million for next season.

Heat owner Micky Arison tweeted the news just after 9:30 p.m. -- or about 2:30 a.m. Saturday in Europe, where Arison has been for several days.

"I was just woken up with great news," Arison wrote. "Welcome to the family (hash)20."

Arison got the word from Heat President Pat Riley, who made Allen the team's top free-agent priority, especially in recent days. Allen arrived in Miami on Thursday for a visit, went to dinner with Riley, coach Erik Spoelstra, team executive Alonzo Mourning and others Thursday night, then left Friday to presumably decide his future.

Hours later, the choice was made. Allen's agent, James Tanner, confirmed the decision to The Associated Press not long after Arison's tweet.

Allen cannot officially sign until Wednesday because of the league's moratorium.
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WEEI

ALLEN TAKES HIS TALENTS TO SOUTH BEACH
By: Paul Flannery

Ray Allen has finally made a decision, and it's not the one the Celtics had hoped for. After spending the night in Miami, Allen has decided to agree to take the Heat's offer of the taxpayer mid-level, which starts at $3.09 million. Heat managing general partner Micky Arison announced the agreement via twitter: "Its 2:30am in London and I was just woken up with great news. Welcome to the family #20!!"

The Celtics had offered a two-year deal for $12 million.

Despite the fact that Allen lost his starting job late in the season to Avery Bradley and the team's agreement to terms with scoring guard Jason Terry, members of the Celtics front office insisted that there was a place for Allen. Ultimately, the 16-year pro didn't see it that way.

Allen has always been the most likely of the Big Three to go. He was almost traded in 2010 and again last season. He decided to re-sign in 2010 and exercise his option last season, but after missing 20 games because of injuries and hobbling through the postseason with ankle spurs hindering his movement, Allen has decided to move on.

With Allen gone, the Celtics will turn to locking up free agent forward Jeff Green. Reached by phone on Thursday, his agent David Falk said that he was optimistic the two sides could come to an agreement, but hinted it may not happen until next week.

Allen's departure limits the Celtics to a degree. They are over the cap and committed to staying under the luxury tax apron, which is expected to be $74.3 million. By using their mid-level exception on Terry, the Celtics can still re-sign some of their free agents such as Mickael Pietrus, Greg Stiemsma and Keyon Dooling. They could also use the bi-annual exception, a two-year deal worth almost $4 million to try and shore up their frontcourt.
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ESPNBOSTON.COM

Why Allen loss is a double whammy

By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com

The Celtics cannot easily replace Ray Allen next season.
Losing Ray Allen to the rival Miami Heat stings enough if you're the Boston Celtics, but here's why it really hurts next year's team: The Celtics cannot easily turn around and sign a comparable player to offset the loss.

The Celtics will be over the salary cap this season and therefore are at the mercy of their available exceptions to sign players above a minimum contract. While the deal won't be finalized until next week, it appears the Celtics will utilize their biggest chip -- the midlevel exception ($5 million) -- to sign Allen's primary replacement in Jason Terry.

But Boston owned Allen's Bird rights, which would have allowed them to go over the cap in order to bring him back. They could have had both Allen and Terry. But just because they had a $6 million offer on Allen, that does not mean the team can re-appropriate that money toward another free agent.

All Boston appears to have left to offer an outside free agent above a minimum contract is the biannual exception, which has a max value of $2 million per season for two years. It's only marginally more than the minimum and unlikely to attract an impact player.

Let's put it this way: An obvious move for the Celtics would be to turn around and consider re-signing Mickael Pietrus to add depth at the swingman spot. Pietrus played last season on a minimum contract after facilitating a buyout with the Phoenix Suns. Not owning Pietrus' Bird rights, the Celtics can offer only a marginal salary boost.

A source close to Pietrus said Friday that, at the moment, he was unlikely to accept the biannual exception given the interest that exists from other teams. Now, Pietrus has expressed a strong desire to return to Boston and -- without Allen in the picture -- he might reconsider, particularly coming off knee surgery with a chance to re-establish his value on a short-term deal.

But it just hammers home the difficulty the Celtics face in trying to add talent to their bench. They won't have Allen back, and they cannot easily add another bench asset in his place. Again, the addition of Terry takes some of the sting out of the loss, but the Celtics surely would have benefited from having overspent to retain Allen.

The only silver lining to Allen's departure: The Celtics will almost certainly be well under the luxury-tax threshold of $74 million, something they were flirting dangerously with if they added Allen's $6 million salary. That extra money allows them to spend a little bit more freely on the likes of Kevin Garnett and Jeff Green, without worrying about approaching that threshold.
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CSNE - A SHERROD BLAKLEY
Ray Allen leaves C's for Heat

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Big Three era is officially now that Ray Allen has decided to take his talents to South Beach and play for the Miami Heat.

Heat owner Micky Arison was the first to report the commitment from Allen by way of social media.

Here's what Arison tweeted:

Its 2:30am in London and I was just woken up with great news. Welcome to the family #20!!

Two league sources contacted Friday evening said that Allen had in fact told the Celtics that he was planning to sign a three-year deal with Miami worth more than $9 million.

In choosing the Heat's offer, Allen walked away from a two-year deal with the C's worth as much as $12 million.

Maybe more important, Allen leaves a franchise in which he played an integral part in them winning Banner 17 in 2008 - just months after Danny Ainge orchestrated trades which brought both Allen and Kevin Garnett to town.

Allen's time in Boston had plenty of highs which have contributed to this future Hall of Famer's career.

But it remains to be seen how his departure - to the C's biggest rival, at that - will impact his legacy.

For Celtics Nation, the only thing worst than leaving Boston to play for the Miami Heat, would be to bolt out of town and join the Los Angeles Lakers (but C's fans made an exception for Troy Murphy this past season).

Allen's departure to Miami for half as much as he would have earned to remain in Boston will certainly fuel the perception that his departure had nothing to do with money and everything to do with factors that aren't necessarily basketball-related.

There have been a number of reports indicating that friction between him and Rondo would be a factor in his decision if he were to leave Boston.

A league source on Friday night indicated that while it was a factor, a chance to compete for a championship - and have a prominent role - were ultimately the two biggest factors in Allen's decision.

It makes sense when you consider how things transpired in what turned out to be Allen's final season in Boston.

Although he shot a career-best 45.3 percent on 3s, he ultimately wound up losing his starting job to Avery Bradley whose defensive presence was among the keys to Boston turning around their season after the all-star break and ultimately advancing to the Eastern Conference finals where the Heat - Allen's new team - defeated them in seven games.

Not only would Allen have returned to a Celtics team in which Bradley would be slated to start ahead of him, but he would also have to contend for minutes with Jason Terry who just a couple years ago was the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award winner.

It became more clear as this process evolved, that Allen's best shot at playing the kind of minutes he was accustomed to, might be with another team besides Boston.

But in choosing Miami, Allen is leaving a Celtics team that has made the kind of strides roster-wise that will once again have Boston on everyone's short list of title contenders.

They return Kevin Garnett who will again be their defensive anchor. They add Terry who will provide the C's with some much-needed scoring off the bench. Boston re-signed Brandon Bass whose game seemed to grow exponentially as the season progressed.

When you throw in rookies Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo, a (most likely) improved JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore and a core tandem of Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce along with the likely addition of Jeff Green (if they can sign him which both his agent David Falk and C's president of basketball operations Danny Ainge remain confident will happen) ... it's pretty clear that the C's will once again be in the thick of a title chase this season.

And while it will be difficult for the Celtics to replace what Allen brought to the game, the Celtics will continue to search for help on the perimeter.

"(The Celtics aren't) done," one league source said. "Just have to move on, without Ray. You don't want to, but it's part of the game."

112288

Really surprised.

It was not the money so Ray no longer wanted to be here.

Fine...lets move on...looks like that frees up some $$$$ and...Perhaps Moore gets a real chance to play.

I'm sure that we will find out why Ray left.

Dboss

....poor Rosalie

Rays time with the Celtics has come and gone.......Loved ya when your wore green...................But now I hope you toss bricks in Miami!!!!!!!!!!!!

He'll never have his number retired as a Celtic ...if they do it would be treason!

Rumor has it that he did not get along with Rondo and Doc could not patch it up at the end of the season.

What a bad day for Boston...Ray goes and the Sox lose to those bum's from the Bronx.

Well, Moore now has opportunity to make a career for himself....hope the kid can do it!!!!

112288

Sorry to see Ray's time as a Celtic end.

It made sense for him to move on once we signed Terry, who would just take minutes from Ray anyway.

In Miami he'll get more playing time and a decent shot at another title.

I hope he closes out his career well, just not when playing us.

GET THIS

Hoops World

Boston, where Allen had played for the past five seasons and won a championship in 2008, had offered Allen a two-year deal at double the salary for $12 million plus a no-trade clause.

112288

112288 wrote:GET THIS

Hoops World

Boston, where Allen had played for the past five seasons and won a championship in 2008, had offered Allen a two-year deal at double the salary for $12 million plus a no-trade clause.

112288

It looks like it was about something other than money for Ray.

I think it was about playing time and a title shot.

Had he stayed with us he's got Bradley (come December) and Terry taking his minutes. He really no longer fit. As far as a championship the top tier right now is likely to remain Miami, OKC and Chicago with a possible push from LA depending on how they finish stocking their bench.

He certainly had his price to stay in Boston, but it was a ridiculous package he was supposedly looking for that would be nonsensical to give him.

NYCelt wrote:Sorry to see Ray's time as a Celtic end.

It made sense for him to move on once we signed Terry, who would just take minutes from Ray anyway.

In Miami he'll get more playing time and a decent shot at another title.

I hope he closes out his career well, just not when playing us.

Terry has never averaged less than 30 minutes a game even during seasons where he virtually never started. Ray could see the writing on the wall as far as playing time was gonna go.

NY,

This move by Ray did not make sense. Terry can play point guard as well as shooting guard. The Celtics never had a true backup for Rondo, so Ray would have had plenty of minutes with Terry shifting back and forth positions.

Ray in the end was not a team player...he cared about his stats first. To say that the Celtics would not be in the hunt for #18 with Ray on the team, giving them a deep bench would be ridiculous. Sorry, he sold out!

Other reasons was probably because Danny dangled him as trade bait for the last 2 years, and it was his way of sticking it to Danny.

You know, Ray had to wake up and has to get a dose of reality. His shooting was off this year, he had ankle problems that limited his play especially on defense, he could not run well......and now he's coming off ankle surgery at 37. What if he now is a step slower, what if he cannot get arch on his shoots? Perhaps this is a blessing for the Celtics. As reported, the Celtics were giving him a no cut contract....what if he cannot compete any more at his old level. He can be replaced.......the sun will rise over Boston Harbor.......and the Celtics will fight for banner #18!

His leaving, gives the Celtics a lot of options including packaging Bass and perhaps another player in a trade to bring back a better rebounding forward and shooting guard. This was Paul Flannery (WEEI beat reporter for the Celtics) thoughts.

Stay tuned!

112288
112288

Steve,

Exactly.

I don't think we really even expected Ray to sign once Terry was on board.

112288,

I don't think we'll see Terry anywhere other than 2-guard.

To me it looks like Ray wanted more playing time than he would get here and the best shot at another title.

A trade or other roster moves would seem to make sense since we're not yet looking greatly changed or improved over last year, and the mentality is apparently to win it now versus a thorough rebuild for the future.

Regards

NY,

My point about Terry playing point was brought up by the guys at CSNE in a sit - a - round discussion, and it was agreed by all that Rondo could get a welcome break from playing 46 minutes with Terry behind him.

Who knows? Too bad for all Celtic fans!

112288

Everybody knows there are 96 minutes available at the guard position each game. Rondo played 37 of 'em last season. Suppose he plays 35 next year getting a bit more rest. If Bradley starts, with his great defense, Doc's gonna want him to average AT LEAST 26 minutes a game, maybe a bit more. Does anyone think we're paying Jason Terry more than $5 million a year and with his history of delivering he's gonna get less than 20 minutes a game?? Right there you've got 81 minutes with only FIFTEEN MINUTES left and that doesn't even account for any minutes for a backup point guard not named Jason Terry or a few minutes someone like Pietrus might log at the shooting guard position when someone taller is needed to guard a bigger SG.

Ray would have had slim pickins and he knew it no matter what the Celtics were telling him to try and convince him to stay.

So....he goes to Miami, what happens with Chalmers, Battier, Jones, there is one basketball, so who is going to be the most unhappy guy on the team?
This whole thing is more than minutes, it is a real personality problem between two guys, and Ray let it get the best of him. I just read where his demands from Boston were $27 million for three years with a no trade clause or a trade kicker where the price the trading team would owe would make them not want to make a trade. Danny was in the process of negotiating this with Allen when he made his decision. $ was not the issue in Miami, $3 million, that's all they had to offer.

So, to me it is a personal thing, and chasing another ring. That just doesn't sit well with me. But....to each his own.

Ray was also turnover prone, many times on the break he could be pickpocketed. I think besides shooting 3's, the Jet is also a much better faster driver than Ray, hes not called the Jet for nothing, he has point ball handling skills....if Moore can develop and Pietrus can get his legs and shot healthy we could still be deep and fine.

Steve,

I think Pietrus would have become expendable and not signed, or a sign and trade for another position player. You make a good point but remember Ray to will also be coming off the bench behind Wade, and there are other players fighting for minutes for his position as well...like Miller.

Doc would have done his job of getting Ray minutes, unless Ray became over the last 2 years a pain in the butt about getting plays for him and butting heads with Rondo.

Remember Rondo is not a selfish player, he wants to rack up assists with whoever is open. Perhaps he saw Ray as a step slower and unable to get free as he once did. That is why he did not get the ball as much. Come to think of that, I noticed this in Ray this year. Just a half step slower and a half step covered.

112288

Agreed Cowens!

Moore has a great shot, all the players said he had the second best shot on the Celtics behind Allen. Love for Moore to stick it to everyone including Miami.

112288

Look, I know we're all feeling a bit rejected here. Like when someone you've been dating for awhile says they want to start seeing other people. But I know how many time this past season - and I know he played a bunch of games on bad wheels - even though most of us went far out of our way not to criticize him (when his playing deserved it) when if it was any other player we would have blasted his performance, there were just too many cold stretches or when he couldn't get his shot off or when he was turnover prone. And when he's not hitting and he used to be able to contribute defensively, he's lost a lot of that too.

I loved him while he was here - Boy did I love having him here - but we'll survive nicely. And we'll soon forget we were dumped for a prettier thing down south.

Rosalie,

Well said and good point about the rest of Miami players. When you add sometimes you begin to subtract. This move could cause problems for others.

112288

Steve,

All good points as well, you summed up my feels as well! We all overlooked Ray's short comings this season"cause he was Ray Allen, sniper.

But Ray just maybe playing on borrowed time. Like a race horse, he could break down...then where is Miami.

112288

If Allen chose to play with a bunch of thugs and turn his back on KG, Pierce & Doc, Ray's not the man we thought he was. The Boston medical community took good care of his diabetic son. I don't want him in Celtic uniform come Hall of Fame time. Allen must have been pissed big time at Ainge & Rondo. Hell, the Celtics paid for his bone spur operation. Ray Allen lacked the class we thought he had, and his vanity got the better of him. When the Celts face the Heat, Avery Bradley will undress Ray Allen more times than Gypsy Rose Lee & Blaze Starr stripped in their respective profession. Take your talents to South Beach Ray Allen, you'll only need a thimble to pack.

MD!

Avery Bradley will destroy Ray, no way can Ray keep up with AB on defense, and AB has blazing PG speed to keep up with Ray all day defensively.....guess Ray didn't like getting abused by the young stud at practice.

Although I appreciate all that Ray Allen did for us I'm not too unhappy with his decision. The question of course is whether Bradley can fully recover from two shoulder surgeries. If so, I think we'll be in good shape. Last season it seemed to me that the team chemistry was much better with Bradley starting. I remember 112288 getting blasted by many members of this board for starting a thread dealing with this subject.

It also seemed to me that Ray was not exactly the great team player that he was reputed to be. He was a great team player as long as he could start and play a major role. For me, John Havlicek was the ultimate team player, In contrast to Allen, he had no problem coming off the bench. Indeed he embraced the role.

As far as being tired of being Ainge's trade-bait - well didn't Danny do his best to dump Rondo for Chris Paul? Didn't he also try to shop Paul Pierce around?

So while I wish Ray all the best (except when he plays against us) I think we might be better off without him, especially if Moore and some of the other young players are able to use their increased minutes to step up.

But.........Miami.......it's just like someone spitting at you......oh well

RosalieTCeltics wrote:But.........Miami.......it's just like someone spitting at you......oh well

Rosalie wish I had another joke fer you.

Last evening Marcus came in and gave me the news. Surprised it really happened but really he did not help us much at all in the playoffs and he'll never be the player he was in 08. Father time has never lost one yet. Miami may have gotten a discount in the cost and maybe the same on the court.

We got some kids that need time and we need to add a couple more pieces ( A good BIG would be nice )

As I mentioned in another thread you drive a car looking out the front window as to whats ahead.......... not looking in the rear view mirror as to what is left behind.

RA may have left and in the end that may be a blessing. DA can now focus on filling out the roster and perhaps he has something else up that sleeve too.

beat