Tony Allen Signs with Grizzlies
Just a couple of weeks ago, the Celtics looked like a team influx. They had no idea whether or not Doc Rivers was coming back. They were hit with news from the Paul Pierce camp that he wanted to test free agency and it also appeared that Ray Allen was headed to Miami to hook up with LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade.
Fast forward to today, and the team is basically in-tact, with the addition of Jermaine O'Neil taking the place of Rasheed Wallace, who appears to be headed to retirement.
One piece of the puzzle that might have been put on the back burner was Tony Allen.
The forward, who at times played with brilliance and other times, played like he was fooling around in a high school gym, went for greener pastures, signing a three-year deal with the Grizzlies.
Allen, who was looking for a three-year deal, wasn't going to get it from the Celtics. In their mind, there was too much risk in taking the relationship to a long-term level mostly because of his inconsistencies on the court as well as being plagued by injuries. One does have to admit that Allen played some key minutes in the playoffs this year, which probably helped him secure the three-year deal with the Grizzlies.
The Boston Globe reported that Team president Danny Ainge said he wanted to bring Allen and Nate Robinson back, but the question with Allen was terms.
The three years were a deal breaker for the Celtics and you can't over look the fact that Allen spent time in coach Doc Rivers’s doghouse during the past six years.
Allen received three guaranteed years from the future-looking Grizzlies, who re-signed Rudy Gay and drafted Xavier Henry to join O.J. Mayo, Mike Conley and Marc Gasol.
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