MANNIX ON D&C: RAY HAD 'FRICTION' WITH RONDO

WEEI
By: Jerry Spar

Sports Illustrated writer Chris Mannix joined the Dennis & Callahan show Monday morning and talked about what the future might hold for the Celtics following their Game 7 loss to the Heat in the Eastern Conference finals.

Mannix said he's heard from people close to Kevin Garnett that the forward is leaning toward retirement, but if Garnett returns to the NBA it's likely to be with the Celtics.

"I think if Kevin Garnett wants to keep playing basketball, he will stay in Boston," Mannix said. "I think he's a loyal guy -- remember, he didn't really want to get traded out of Minnesota in the first place. He doesn't like to be a guy who's a mercenary, who wants to bounce around to different organizations and just chase rings like some other players in his age bracket. I think he wants to stay with one organization."

As for Ray Allen, his departure seems likely, with New York, Miami and Chicago leading the way as possible landing spots.

"There is going to be a ton of interest in Ray Allen in the offseason," Mannix said. "He's going to be able to pick and choose where he wants to play."

Allen conceivably could return to Boston, but Mannix said that decision might be affected by Allen's apparent struggles to get along with Rajon Rondo.

"I think there's no question that the relationship was strained over this year," Mannix said. "How strained is the key, and it's still a little bit unclear. There was some friction between those two. I think that could play a role in Ray's decision not to come back. Now, I agree, I think that Boston probably wasn't going to bring him back anyway, you're right, it's Avery Bradley's job and Ray isn't coming back to the Celtics to be a bench player, especially when he can be a bench player on a team that might be more likely to win a championship. But I think the relationship over the last year between Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo soured. Now, I'm not entirely clear as to how bad it got. But certainly I know that there was some legitimate, palpable friction between those two players and I think that will ultimately affect his decision in free agency."



112288

I hate it when the media makes statements like these and supply zero proof that support their statements. "...legitimate, palpable friction"?

"Now, I'm not entirely clear as to how bad it got"? I'm not entirely clear why these hacks even have a job.

I'm not saying that it isn't true, but give a dog a bone, will ya?

GYSO,

I think it was blown way out of proportion! May be these writers have something against Rondo........or against the Celtics and want to muddy the waters up!

112288

112288,

Modern writers are more likely to create the muddy waters, rather than just report on them. The age of investigative reporting is over, now it is just find a little mud and just sling it around until it sticks somewhere.

Dan Rather said something about this recently on the Daily Show. The advent of the 24 hour news channels along with media moguls with an ax to grind was the death knell of true reporting.

gyso