Should the Celtics retire Ray Allen’s number?
The 41-year-old shooting guard played five of his 18 NBA seasons in Boston.
COMMENTARY
Ray Allen officially brought his NBA career to a close Tuesday in a letter on the Players’ Tribune.
While Allen’s letter closed the book on a Hall of Fame career, it also revived a familiar debate regarding the shooting guard’s accomplishments with the Boston Celtics. Specifically, would the franchise eventually honor the 18-year veteran with a spot in the TD Garden rafters for his No. 20?
Danny Ainge did not dismiss the possibility during an interview with Toucher and Rich on 98.5 The Sports Hub back in 2014.
“I don’t know,” Ainge said of retiring Allen’s number. “I’m not sure. Time heals, and I think that he was a great player for us. I love Ray, and I’m grateful for Ray. And I’m grateful for all that he brought to us in the five years he played here. He was a fantastic player. Time will tell on all those.”
So just how strong is Allen’s case to join 22 other Celtics legends in the rafters? Let’s look at the looming factors in a potential decision.
The on-court case
While Allen sacrificed some of his offensive production upon joining up with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in Boston, there’s no denying he was among the league’s best shooting guards during his time as a the Celtic. Here’s a look at the overall numbers over his five seasons in green.
16.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.8 apg, 0.9spg, 47.2% FG, 40.9% 3ptFG
The 6-foot-5 guard was elected to the All-Star game in three of those seasons and Allen actually posted career single-season highs in multiple categories (FG%, 3PT FG%, FT%) over that span. That fact is particularly impressive when you consider that he started his Celtic career at age 32.
Beyond the individual numbers, the team’s success in the Big Three era was directly tied to Allen’s presence. The Celtics advanced past the first round in all five of his seasons in Boston, producing three trips to the conference finals, two NBA Finals appearances and one title in 2008.
Allen carried as heavy of a playing time load as any other member of the Big Three during those playoff contests, averaging a team-high 38 minutes per game while posting 15.5 ppg on 38% shooting from 3-point range.
When you look at the big shots Allen made during those postseason runs and compare that and his overall postseason track record to some Celtics legends that already are in the rafters, it’s hard to argue his contributions don’t match those players. However, there are other factors in play here beyond just the on-court performance.
The ugly exit
Players that have had unfortunate departures from the Celtic franchise have not necessarily been prevented from seeing their numbers raised to the rafters. One needs to look no further than Cedric Maxwell’s No. 31 to find an example of that.
Still, Allen’s controversial decision to spurn Boston for Miami in the summer of 2012 will test the goodwill and memory of team ownership. The Celtics offered him $6 million more in annual salary over the Heat as well as full no-trade protection, but he still packed his bags and joined the team that the Celtics had just lost to in Game 7 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals.
Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce don’t seem to have forgiven their former teammate to this day for the move, but a deeper dive into Allen’s specific circumstances make it a little easier to understand the decision from his perspective.
The Heat were the clear cut title favorites in the summer of 2012 and Allen’s role appeared to be diminishing in Boston following the emergence of Avery Bradley and free agent signing of Jason Terry. Combine that with the built up frustration of being floated in trade rumors, as well as a rumored feud with Rajon Rondo and you can understand why Allen moved on.
“I don’t think I gauged (Boston and Miami) one off the other,” Allen said back in 2014 of the decision. “Once it seemed like the door closed for me here (in Boston). I had to then put myself in the pool of free agency and decide where from there do I go? Obviously, you try to put yourself in the best situation possible.”
Allen’s justification for his departure won’t necessarily ever sit well with Celtics fans or ownership, but Ainge believes people will hold less of a grudge toward him for it as the years pass.
“I think that’s obviously somewhat of a factor (in the retired number debate), but I think time heals those hurts, and logic will take over,” Ainge told Toucher and Rich in 2014. “The question is did he play long enough and that kind of thing. There are a lot of great Celtics in history, and Ray Allen is certainly one of them. I know there will be consideration and discussion about that happening. I just don’t know whether it will or when it will.”
For a franchise that values loyalty so much, it’s hard to ignore Allen turning his back on the franchise to jump ship to the enemy. Yet if team ownership elects to overlook that blemish on Allen’s resumé, the 18-year veteran has a convincing case as former teammate Rajon Rondo voiced on Wednesday.
“Without a doubt,” Rondo answered when asked by reporters if Allen’s jersey should be retired. “He’s done a lot for this organization. Not the way things ended were great, but he helped put a banner up there. He’s a future Hall of Famer as well. So we’ve got to pay him his respects.”
The Celtics have a couple numbers (Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce) that will be going up to the rafters before Allen’s is even considered, but time should only strengthen the shooting guard’s case moving forward.
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