Rajon Rondo, former Celtics teammates plan to celebrate their 2008 title without Ray Allen

https://theundefeated.com/features/rajon-rondo-boston-celtics-ray-allen/




Rajon Rondo, former Celtics teammates plan to celebrate their 2008 title without Ray Allen



‘I mean, Ray left. He left to the enemy.’


Rajon Rondo, former Celtics teammates plan to celebrate their 2008 title without Ray Allen



By Marc J. Spears
Associated Press




Ray Allen #20 and Rajon Rondo #9 of the Boston Celtics wait to resume action against the Miami Heat in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2012 NBA Playoffs on May 30, 2012 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images




BY MARC J. SPEARS  @MARCJSPEARSESPN




March 20, 2017




Just like Rajon Rondo used to set up the fast break for the Boston Celtics, he is setting up a vacation with his former Celtics teammates from the 2008 NBA championship team to celebrate the nearing of the 10-year anniversary of their title. This party, however, doesn’t include an invite to ex-Celtics star guard Ray Allen.

“I asked a couple of the guys. I got a no, a no head shake,” said Rondo to The Undefeated when asked why Allen wasn’t invited.

Allen and Kevin Garnett joined forces with Celtics veteran forward Paul Pierce in the summer of 2007 to form one of the greatest star trios the NBA has ever seen. With a young budding star Rondo as their point guard, Allen, Garnett and Pierce led the Celtics to their first NBA championship in 22 years with their 17th title in 2008. The four were also the key players on a Celtics team that lost in the 2010 NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers.

On July 10, 2012, however, Allen shocked his Celtics teammates by agreeing to a three-year, $9.5 million contract with the rival Miami Heat. Allen turned down a two-year, $12 million offer from the Celtics with a no-trade clause after seeking a longer and more lucrative deal and not seeing eye to eye with Rondo. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Heat eliminated their bitter rival Celtics in the 2012 Eastern Conference finals and went on to win back-to-back NBA championships.

Allen, a retired 10-time NBA All-Star, has been estranged from Rondo, Pierce and Garnett since his departure from Boston and winning the 2013 championship with Miami.


The Celtics Ray Allen gets a hand from Rajon Rondo, right, and Kevin Garnett, left, after he hit a second quarter shot and was fouled in the process. The Boston Celtics hosted the Atlanta Hawks for game three of a first round Eastern Conference NBA Playoff Game at TD Garden.
JIM DAVIS/THE BOSTON GLOBE VIA GETTY IMAGES


“It will be a long story about that, but it is what it is,” Rondo, who plays for the Chicago Bulls, told The Undefeated. “I don’t know a good analogy to put this in. It just wasn’t the greatest separation. It wasn’t the greatest thing that could’ve happened to us as a team, a bond. We were at war with those guys [Miami]. To go with the enemy, that’s unheard-of in sports. Well, it’s not so unheard of. It’s damn near common now.

“The mindset we had. The guys on our team. You wouldn’t do anything like that. It makes you question that series in the Finals … Who were you for? You didn’t bleed green. People think we had a messed-up relationship. It’s not the greatest. But it’s not just me. I called and reached out to a couple of other vets and asked them what they wanted to do with the situation. They told me to stick with what we got [without Allen].”

One former Celtics player from the 2008 NBA championship team said of Allen’s exclusion from the party: “I mean, Ray left. He left to the enemy.”

Pierce didn’t comment on the lack of the invitation to Allen when asked about it March 18. But in a 2016 story in The Undefeated, the Los Angeles Clippers forward described Allen’s departure to Miami as “betrayal.”

“That was a tough situation because we thought it was betrayal,” Pierce said. “That’s why the whole thing evolved like it did with us not talking to him. Ray didn’t really have the best relationship with Rondo anyway. That was nothing. [Rondo], me and Kevin, he didn’t have any talk with us [before his Miami decision].

“I tried to call him and I didn’t get any return calls before he signed with Miami. That was our rival. We were brothers. We came in together. We just wanted a heads-up or a ‘what’s on your mind?’ or something like. Then, all of a sudden, he left. That was the biggest disappointment on my end. Not even getting a callback at that moment.”

Efforts to reach Allen didn’t result in a comment. But if the group consensus were to invite Allen, would Rondo offer an invitation despite their differences?

“I would have went with the team, with the group,” Rondo said.

Not every member of the 2008 NBA championship team is anti-Allen. Former Celtics forward-center Leon Powe, a member of the 2008 NBA championship team, said he spoke to Rondo about the reunion recently in Boston and was in. Powe, who works in the Celtics’ scouting department, was surprised to learn Sunday that Allen wasn’t invited.


Ray Allen #34 of the Miami Heat shoots during Game Three of the 2014 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs at the American Airlines Arena on June 10, 2014 in Miami, Florida.
ANDREW D BERNSTEIN/NBAE VIA GETTY IMAGES


“I assumed that Ray would be invited,” Powe told The Undefeated. “That is one of my guys. My preference is that Ray is extended an invitation.”

Except for Allen, Rondo said, he has personally offered an invite to the celebration to all of his ex-Celtics teammates except a hard-to-locate retired forward-center P.J. Brown. The Rondo-led celebration is a work in progress at an undisclosed international location.

“Everybody else should be there. I’ve actually talked to everyone [else],” Rondo said. “With me going out to every different city, I ran into ‘E-House’ [Eddie House] in Phoenix, I ran into ‘Scal’ [Brian Scalabrine], Leon Powe. The only person I haven’t got in touch with was P.J. Brown. I should be able to find him. I can get in touch with his wife and that is the route I’m going to take with him.

“This is going to an out-of-the-country thing at an undisclosed location. We’re going to get it together, enjoy life, reflect and check on each other. Next year will be the 10-year reunion, but I’m going to do it this summer.”

Rondo, Pierce and Memphis Grizzlies guard Tony Allen are the only players still active from the 2008 NBA championship team. Pierce has announced he is retiring after this season. Rondo, a four-time NBA All-Star, said he feels odd being considered an older player at 31 years old.

“I’m just trying to stay young and take care of my body, Rondo said. “Taking it one day at a time, one season at a time. It went too fast. We are already talking about getting together on our 10-year anniversary. I’m like, ‘Ten. It’s been 10?’ It definitely went fast. It seemed like just yesterday where we were talking about how old K.G. was at 31. Look at me now, I’m 31 in the same situation, Young guys call me, ‘The O.G.’ I’m embracing it. I’m accepting it. But I didn’t expect to hear this s— so soon.”

Rondo has fond memories of his days as the starting point guard during a very successful run for the Celtics that included NBA Finals appearances in 2008 and 2010. The 11-year NBA veteran said he misses how close those Celtics teams were.


The Celtics finally broke into the win column tonight, which allowed the starting five, from left to right: Jermaine O’Neal,Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo to have some fun on the bench during the fourth quarter. The Boston Celtics hosted the Detroit Pistons in an NBA regular season game at the TD Garden, the team’s home opener.
JIM DAVIS/THE BOSTON GLOBE VIA GETTY IMAGES


“We wanted to do it for one another,” Rondo said. “It started from start to finish. We believed in each other. Doc was a great and the right coach for us to have with that type of group. We all bought into it. We all thought we couldn’t be all we could be unless the next man was the best that he could be.

“We cheered for each other. There wasn’t no wishing bad on the next person or the guy in front of you. There was one effort. One goal. At one point in time throughout the season, everybody is going to have a chance to play a part and a role in it in this championship. And that’s what happened.”

Rondo has had an up-and-down season with the Bulls in which he has not seen eye to eye with coach Fred Hoiberg and has had an ever-changing role from reserve to benched to starter. He entered Sunday averaging 7.2 points, 6.4 assists and 4.9 rebounds this season. Rondo’s contract is only guaranteed $3 million of the $13.3 million he is due to be paid next season if he is waived by Chicago by June 30. Quietly, Rondo has also played a strong mentoring role for young Bulls guards Michael Carter-Williams, Jerian Grant and rookie Denzel Valentine.

Rondo said he is focused on finishing this season strongly for the Bulls and not what the future holds.

“I’m not really thinking about next year as far as where I will be. I’m going to stay here. I’m going to stay present. I’m not going to waste away any time. I’m a Chicago Bull. A good group of guys. I’m just trying to lead by example and play as hard as I can,” Rondo said.

Rondo said he still loves the game of basketball and would love to continue his career for many more years. Could he also see a return to the Celtics one day?

“I don’t know. You never know what can happen in this league. It’s a great organization. Great fans. They are the best I ever played for. I can’t say I’d never want to go back. But right now, I don’t know if that’s a plan for me,” Rondo said.



bob



.

I'm only a fan and I wouldn't want Ray there, no question without him, Heat don't win in 12.

cowens/oldschool wrote:I'm only a fan and I wouldn't want Ray there, no question without him, Heat don't win in 12.

Cow,

Without him we don't win in 08.


bob


.

You`re both right, but I`m with cow. To me , the way he left Boston was at least as bad as the way Lebron left Cleveland and Ray was more experienced in basketball and life . It appears that, regardless of what has happened since he was traded, Rondo was a better teammate , in Boston , than Allen.

I can understand the fans feeling toward Allen - but you might want to consider that Allen may have had strong personal reasons for choosing to move on to Miami. Fortunately he was here for the championship season.

swish

I'M WITH RONDO.................RAY ALLEN WAS A TRADER!!!!!!!!

He took less to join the enemy because he was tweaked by Danny's negotiating style..............well excuse me if you are being asked to step off the bench Mr. Ray Allen..........you stood up your teammates and you stood up Celtic fans nation wide by leaving for the enemy!  Let's be clear, Ray Allen was a Celtic not a Miami Heat.  He had a clear choice as a free agent on what team to be on but chose Miami over the Celtics for less money coming off the bench. He rubbed salt in the wound which will never be forgotten!

A statement made about who helped who .................Ray Allen was not the straw that stirred the Celtics drink.  It takes a team to win, and Ray Allen is not bigger then the team.   To be also accurate, Ray Allen won games and lost games for the Celtics by being a hot shooter and a stone cold shooter.  Let us not forget............Ray Allen almost made the Celtics lose a very important playoff series in 2008 by having one of his crappy cold shooting streaks during the Atlanta series.

I say this to Ray Allen.....#@?* YOU!

112288

Benidict Arnold did a lot to help the American cause early in the war of independence, but there's a d@MN good reason his face is not on mt. Rushmore.

Ray is Boston's Benidict Arnold.

A lot of players leave Boston to go sign a free agency contract and it is usually because of the money. Posey comes to mind. We all know why Ray left and we know it had nothing to do with money and all to do with him losing his staring spot to Avery Bradley. He was too self-absorbed to understand The Celtics legacy and how the 6th man played a vital role in winning and was always a revered designation. It is all about sacrifice and putting the team first. Ray put himself first for all the wrong reasons

dboss

Many of you here remember that I was overjoyed the day the Celtics traded for Ray Allen. I had followed his career from college thru the pros, saying time after time that he would be great in Green. When he came my wish came true. He played great for us, and, as BobH says, there probably would have been no title without him.

But the story gets a little muddy when he decided to leave Boston and go to the hated Miami Heat. It hurt, not doubt about it. But he had the right to go and that was it. However, after he left, he never let a chance go by that he didn't throw dirt on the Celtics. Time after Time, until I finally lost all respect for him. Go if you want to go, but....why do what he did??

I am not the least bit surprised that he is not being invited to this "reunion". He probably never would have gone anyway, but if any of you watched the
Paul Pierce half hour show on Comcast, the hurt is still there. I know the inclination is to blame Rondo, but this was a decision made by more than one player. Leon Powe has said he would invite Ray, but he does not have much to say when Pierce, Garnett and Rondo are planning the get together.

It is too bad, but Ray, you reap what you sew. I was at the Garden the other night, sat right near the banner with the two empty spaces on it,and wondered aloud if we would ever see Ray's number up there, and, at the same time, my son and I both said Nah!!!!

Rosalie

Neither Ray or Rondo will have their numbers raised.  They both had a chance at Celtic immortality but they both chose self over team.  Both of their exits left a bad taste in the fan's mouths.  At least Rondo didn't leave a winning situation to go to the enemy's camp, although he had worn out his welcome with most fans.

If the reason for the get together is to celebrate the 2008 season, I can understand why Ray will not be invited to attend this time.  It could just be too soon.  The other guys may mellow with time and invite him for the 20th or 30th anniversary, who knows?

Ray was always odd and standoffish, from the reports I have read.  He was part of the team, but perhaps he wasn't "one of the guys".  

gyso

dboss, You nailed it. Hawk

I don't think there is ever a question of Rondo's number going up. That will never happen I think the question of Ray comes up because they were called Boston's "Big Three" and he was part of that. Dboss you are right it was never about money, it was a slap at Danny for trying to trade him at the deadline and his relationship with Rondo and Avery. Funny he was ticked off that he lost his starting job, but he never started for Miami unless someone was hurt. So the story goes on and on. The end being HIS NUMBER WILL NEVER GO UP. Thanks Ray

I guess that one teams traitor - is another teams patriot.

swish

Or EX PATRIOT.

112288

Or EX PATRIOT.

112288

swish wrote:I can understand the fans feeling toward Allen - but you might want to consider that Allen may have had strong personal reasons for choosing to move on to Miami. Fortunately he was here for the championship season.

swish

He might have divulged those reasons to Pierce if he had answered his texts. Ray had the right to leave and his former teammates have the right not to like him, which is apparently the case. Personally, I don`t invite anybody I don`t like to my party.

Rondo was traded. How in the world does that leave a bad taste in anybody`s mouth?

No Ray, no banner.  He was a critically important part of the team.

He left for whatever reason he left.  If he just wanted to pad the bank account, he could have stayed.

I would say the treatment and attitude being shown to Ray Allen is pretty un-Celtic like.  It's up there among my personal biggest disappointments as a Celtic fan.

jrleftfoot wrote:Rondo was traded. How in the world does that leave a bad taste in anybody`s mouth?

His attitude prior to being traded. Lack of effort on defense, walking the ball up, ignoring the coaches, etc.

The bottom line for me is that there are some fans out there who have become so hateful towards Rondo that they will never have much good to say about him. For a long time I asked those who said he was a cancer in the locker room to provide some proof of that. They never did because he wasn't. Fans have a right to their likes and dislikes just like players do. The fact that Rondo has maintained a very good and close relationship with Doc, PP, and KG proves he wasn't that type of cancer that so many talk about. One more proof is that this vacation/reunion trip will be well attended and most ot those players don't want RA invited. But they will be happy to reconnect with Rondo and everyone else. As far as jerseys in the rafters? Only Paul Pierce gets that honor. RA definitely not because he turned coat on his team for personal glory. Rondo? no, because he didn't play his whole career here. KG? The only way for me is if he disavows the Timberwolves and comes to Boston and works for the Celtics. Otherwise he is a Timberwolf. He will enter the Hall as a Timberwolf. He has not earned the right to have his number retired. This is the Boston Celtics and a five year rental and one championship just doesn't get it done for me and is a disservice to all of those players who dedicated themselves to the C's and did their part. In my mind this is no knock on KG but just maintaining the standards of the legacy of Boston Celtics basketball.

http://uproxx.com/dimemag/ray-allen-unbiased-mvp-pick/2/

Apparently his former teammates still like Rondo and not Ray.I wasn`t in the locker room and don`t know what went on there, so I`ll leave it to them to decide who to socialize with.I`m not sure pushing the pace was an option with guys like Shaq and O`neal as running mates.As far as coaching relationships, Doc`s LA teams seem to be underperforming. I don`t see anything disgraceful about Rondo`s performance as a Celtic or the manner of his departure. I`d say KG deserves his jersey retired as much as Don Nelson did, but if number of championships is the main criteria it won`t be. That`s okay too.

mulcogiseng wrote:The bottom line for me is that there are some fans out there who have become so hateful towards Rondo that they will never have much good to say about him. For a long time I asked those who said he was a cancer in the locker room to provide some proof of that. They never did because he wasn't. Fans have a right to their likes and dislikes just like players do. The fact that Rondo has maintained a very good and close relationship with Doc, PP, and KG proves he wasn't that type of cancer that so many talk about. One more proof is that this vacation/reunion trip will be well attended and most ot those players don't want RA invited. But they will be happy to reconnect with Rondo and everyone else.

Absolutely. You can't read an article about Rondo without hearing he's a locker room cancer. But the only player I've ever heard had a problem with him was Allen. Rondo's temper has certainly gotten him into hot water with coaches and refs but I have never seen anything but praise of him from other players. I think the ACL and being traded to a team where he was a lousy fit with a micro-managing coach has hurt his career. But then he turned around and led the league in assists with a talent-challenged team. Now he's trying to be a good soldier on a Bulls team that seems to have schizo management. But in Chicago they rave about what a great influence he's been on the younger players. He may have been dissed by Allen (are there any actual quotes from Allen?) and justified in not wanting to invite him but he asked PP and KG and they said no. This is on Allen, not Rondo.

In my opinion, both Rondo and Allen left sour remembrances in my mind, and can easily be forgotten even though they were part of the '08 championship.

I think that I could really care even a little bit whether they ever meet up at some reunion.

And now it turns out Scot Pollard hasn't been invited either?  The outrage!  What is wrong with Rondo?  How could he possibly leave Pollard off the list?

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2017/3/20/14989860/scot-pollard-wasnt-invited-to-the-2008-celtics-reunion-either-ray-allen-rajon-rondo?yptr=yahoo