After Rajon Rondo said Ray Allen would be excluded from the 2008 Boston Celtics’ planned get-together this summer, Celtics president Danny Ainge and former coach Doc Rivers said that Allen should be included. Each understands that Rondo, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce were stunned and hurt when Allen joined the Miami Heat in free agency in 2012, but they believe it’s time to appreciate what Allen did in Boston.
From the Boston Herald’s Mark Murphy:
“Ray not getting invited to a reunion of that team would be like me celebrating the 1986 title without Kevin McHale. It seems silly,” the Celtics president of basketball operations said yesterday. “We got where we got because of Ray. He was an important part of that team’s success.
“You just hope that time heals all wounds.”
…
And Ainge said he doesn’t understand the animosity in Rondo’s comments.
“I know there was a bit of a rift on the team, but I don’t know to what extent, even now, that it’s so bad Ray wouldn’t be invited to a 2008 reunion,” Ainge said.
From the Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn:
Rivers said the rift bothers him, especially since the rest of the players from that team remain close.
“Me and Ray talk a lot now,” Rivers said. “Everybody after the whole Miami thing, it took a while. But I even told our guys, all of them, I think they’re still not talking [to Allen], I love the pride part of it, but we won a title together and I just hope somehow we can kind of figure that one out.
“I really believe that’s partly on me to try to do it. I’ve been trying, and I can tell you I’ve been unsuccessful. I even tried recently. I am hoping.
“They won a title together, and they’re going to have an anniversary. We’ve got to get that one right. That’s on me and probably Danny.
“Ray was a great Celtic and his departure wasn’t great, but that’s fine. That’s the departure. His stay was great and we’ve got to remember that.”
…
“I think he would be absolutely open to it,” said Rivers. “I golfed with Ray. We’re good now. I was stubborn, too, for a while. That was the closest team I’ve ever been on, and that little thing . . . he’s the only one out there and we’ve got to bring him back.”
When asked who would be most difficult to convince, Rivers offered only a hint: “I won’t say any names, but you can figure out the two. I’ve been surprised at a couple of guys and they’re still mad. Yeah, I get it, but it’s time to move on.”
Rivers is pretty obviously referring to Rondo and Garnett. In the Boston Globe story, Pierce said he’d probably have to be the mediator, joking that he should try to arrange for Allen make a surprise appearance on “Area 21,” Garnett’s TNT segment. Pierce said he has no issues with Allen and would answer the phone if he called. That would be a good start.
It’s clear that when the franchise officially honors the 2008 team -- likely next season because it will be the 10th anniversary -- Allen will be there. What’s uncertain is whether or not everybody will bury the hatchet before the planned vacation this coming offseason.
Despite Rivers’ optimism, this might not even just be about Rondo and Garnett forgiving Allen for the way he left the Celtics. It’s difficult to imagine Allen has been thrilled by the comments made about him over the last few years. The mere fact that Rondo was so direct in his interview with The Undefeated’s Marc Spears, saying that “a couple of other vets” said not to invite Allen, could make this tough to fix in the next few months.
If that’s the case, then I’m with Ainge and Rivers: it’s a real shame. That 2008 team was a special group of players, and Allen was incredible in the NBA Finals. The Celtics wouldn’t have won that ring without him.
