Doc Rivers decides to stay quiet on Ray Allen’s comments – NBA News
A few days after former Boston Celtics shooting guard and current Miami Heat player Ray Allen opened up about his alleged differences with the Celtics organization, their head coach has decided to take the escape route of “ no comments on the issue”, effectively preventing a war of words with his former player.
Allen was a member of the Celtics “Big Three” that won the NBA championship in 2008 under Rivers.
"We're going to just let Ray keep talking. It's easier,” said Rivers when asked to comment on Allen’s latest allegations.
Ray has become increasingly vocal about his differences with the Celtics management and Rajon Rondo over the past few seasons and his reason for quitting the Celtics organization. He gave three different interviews on Thursday in which he alleged that the Celtics planned to trade him and Rajon Rondo to the Phoenix Suns in return for Amar’e Stoudemire and Leandro Barbosa back in 2009. He was told to inform Rondo about the move since Rivers and General Manager Danny Ainge did not have the most cordial of relations with Rondo at that time. Since then, Allen alleges, Rondo has had issues with him.
"So I called him and I told him, 'Hey they're supposedly trading us to Phoenix because you and Danny and Doc don't get along. So, whatever you can do.' So, for some reason, I guess he thought that I was, that I had something against him, or there were some issues,” said Allen.
When Rivers was asked about the potential trade with the Phoenix Suns in 2009 that Allen was referring to, he said that he did not know if such a thing existed and was never informed about it.
"I didn't even know it, so I'm surprised right now. I never knew that. I don't think that's true,” said Rivers.
Rajon Rondo was also asked about what he thought of Allen’s latest allegations after team practice on Wednesday, and decided to take the same approach as his coach and not comment on the whole situation.
"I don't know what happened or hear anything. I just stay focused and hit the gym” said Rondo.
The Celtics will meet the Miami Heat in the season opener for both teams on Tuesday night in Miami. It is going to be an emotionally charged game with the history between the Celtics and LeBron James dating back to his days with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the more recent rivalry between the Miami Heat and the Celtics, and now the acquisition of Ray Allen by the Heat and his subsequent remarks about his old team. It is surely going to be a memorable game, one that will be every bit entertaining.
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