Bye Bye TA

[Spleen]

It appears that our days of speculating which Tony Allen was going to show up on any given night are over. David Aldridge is reporting that TA is about to sign a 3 year deal with the Grizz. The money comes out to about 3.25 per year. Not a big loss for the C's, though we will want to replace him with someone with some good defense.

http://twitter.com/daldridgetnt/status/18310261646

Not a critical loss given in all of his years we were never sure what he would do out there, but give him credit for having a good Playoffs this year.

[LordRC]

Best to you, Tony.

It was said here (I don't know by who) that Tony likely made a good name for himself in the playoffs with his defense. Looks like this proves it.

I can't figure out his logic because he's likely to be a back-up for the Grizz, except he's on a team with just playoff hopes and not much else. Maybe it's the money. Maybe they promised him to be more of an offensive contributor. I have no idea. I couldn't be to defend against Kobe more often. Why would anyone want to do that?

--LordRC

[Celtics17]

It is a critical loss if Danny doesn't bring in a replacement. Currently, we have nobody on the bench who fills Tony's role as a premier perimeter defender off the bench.

Maybe Danny thinks that between Bradley and Gafney, they'll be able to guard elite 2s and 3s.

I'm gonna miss him. The kid's tough as nails, and I wish him success wherever he goes.

[Falcon63]

Two words: Avery Bradley.

[hurdler]

So now is the time to pinch pennies??? As important 2012 is, 3 mil isnt' going to kill us with pierce and rondo making big money, and maybe perk. I'll miss you in green.

[CaptChris]

Tony was an enigma. Sometimes you see him very well, and then he disappears for whole series.

In the play-offs this year he was good against Miami and the Cavs, and missing in action against the Magic and the Lakers.

He scored 7.3 PTS. against the Heat and Cavs, but only 3.0 Pts. against the Magic and Lakers. He shot a paltry 33 % against the Lakers in the finals.

Inconsistent throughout his career. Wish him well.

[Rip City Celtic]

I just can't see how Ainge can let Tony go. Throughout the last few seasons, he's been my favorite bench player because of his strong defense; he can shut down any superstar (Kobe and LeBron). Also, don't forget that game four he had against the Cavs this last postseason (15 points, 2 stls, 2 blocks).

Any way, from all of Celtic Nation, we will miss you Tony. I wish nothing but success to you in Memphis and you deserve a standing ovation when you play in Boston this season.
Thanks for all of the memories Tony! You will be missed!

[LordRC]

I just read that Gomes signed with the Clippers, so he's no longer an option.

Taking the optimist's view, when one door closes, another one opens. This could be the opportunity to get Rudy Fernandez. Yeah he's not the defender TA is, but he could make up for it offensively, and maybe could be a torch barer when it is passed from Ray or Paul to the next generation. Thinking Gaffney as a replacement is the simple route for a possible replacement. I still think Gaffney is a work in progress and may not be ready for the pros, or if he's good enough at all. And Bradley is way too small to replace Tony. Avery is a buck-eighty and would be abused in the post by the average 2-guard.

I don't know who might be on board with this idea, but how about giving Marquis a second chance? Before the injury and getting locked into Doc's dog house, Daniels was great for the team on defense, a nice mismatch on offense, and able to run the offense. I don't know who's available at this point, but Daniels might not be a bad idea for cheap money.

--LordRC

[CaptChris]

Forget Marquis, just like he forgot us last year. He had his worst year in the league. He couldn't even hit a foul shot.

Gaffney was the Lakers final cut last year. He is also playing for their Summer League team in Vegas. They must think he has a shot.

Allen had his good moments, but he also had his Horror Shows.

[hurdler]

Tony was an enigma. Sometimes you see him very well, and then he disappears for whole series.

In the play-offs this year he was good against Miami and the Cavs, and missing in action against the Magic and the Lakers.

He scored 7.3 PTS. against the Heat and Cavs, but only 3.0 Pts. against the Magic and Lakers. He shot a paltry 33 % against the Lakers in the finals.

Inconsistent throughout his career. Wish him well.

One reason Tony was an enigma was that he was tried at lots of different roles. TA came in as a defensive wing player that could get out and finish in transition. He's not a PG, and playing him there didn't change that. He's not a scorer, but if you run him on the 2nd unit with guys who are worse scorers or need someone to set them up, he's tempted to try to be pierce.

Who cares how many points he scored, he's not there for that. He is there to defend and finish, and not make lots of mistakes. For the playoffs he had 25 stls and 23 TOs. He shot 48%FG and 78%FT. I've always believed that if he was used more like posey who played a lot of minutes with starters, there would be a net gain. He could focus on defense and let the offense come to him off of fast breaks and back door plays. Obviously, with Rondo the shooting is a big problem.

If bradley can contribute right now as a 19 yr old or if Josh Howard works out, it's an upgrade. I guess in the big scheme of things it's not the end of the world, but now I'll have to give up my presidency of the TA fin club.

[CaptChris]

WoW! We get the Celtic Lament! We don't need him to score!!!

Perk's fans yell this loud and clear. Tony's Fans yell the same thing. Are these guys who play 35 minutes a game? Perk finally played 25 minutes a game in the play-offs -- Tony played a total of 16 minutes a game. Does that mean if they don't have to score, that the guys who play the remaining 48 minutes don't have to play "D"?

Sounds as silly as that they don't have to score while they are in there. That's why Eddie House is gone.

Gee, do you think that if teams had to defend Perk or Tony -- we might have had some easy shots for the guys who are supposed to score. OOPS!

Tony was what he was. A guy with some talent, who couldn't play consistantly enough to get serious minutes. He had his chance over 6 years, but injuries and his up and down play held him back.

Let's see what he does in Memphis!

[Spleen]

It is hard to think that if the Celtics valued TA enough that they wouldn't go for a third year on a contract that averaged about 3.25 per year. They had his Bird rights so it wouldn't have been a cap hit, and a three year $9.7 million contract is chump change by today's standards. Despite his defensive showing during the Playoffs, they may have grown weary of his overall inconsistency, because why else would they have not matched the Grizz offer which was a modest one?

We will need to acquire another defensive specialist, but perhaps one who may have some other skills which didn't include brain farting like a schizophrenic.

Bye bye, TA.

[Spleen]

Something is afoot here. Danny is saying that he can't explain Tony's departure and that because we had his Bird rights that it wasn't a money thing and you'd have to speak with him about his reason. Ostensibly the reason voiced so far is that the Celtics didn't want to give him a third year, but Danny is acting like that wouldn't have been a problem. The oddest thing is that the money over 3 years is very modest for the NBA, and something the Celtics could have afforded. Bad blood behind closed doors? It isn't like he's going to the Grizz to become a starter, he's still going to be coming in off the bench. I'm betting he's pissed about something, only he isn't going to tell the press about it. At least he got that part right. Hopefully this isn't just another immature kid feeling "dissed" because they made him wait for a contract while management was busy securing Pierce, Ray, and O'Neil.

[CaptChris]

January 11, 1982 doesn't mean that you are a KID, who was "dissed". He may be "pissed", but he will be 29 years old in january!!! That's one OLD KID!

Of course it might just have been a Tony "Brain Fart". He thought that Memphis was right next to Quincy. OOPS!

[texascelticsfan]

Neither Paul nor Danny had an answer for TA, which seemed strange. Paul's reaction was just as shocked, he said Tony was a CLOSE friend, but also very unpredictable.

[CaptChris]

Am I spelling "HEAD CASE" CORRECTLY?

[Spleen]

When it comes to athletes, being 29 doesn't mean that you still can't be a "kid feeling he's been dissed". This whole thing has a certain air about it, and it ain't smelling like roses. We could have used his defense, and if Doc could manage his mental lapses, then when his head did see the light of day, he could add some value out there. Luckily for him and the Celtics he had a run of clarity at the end of the season and into the Playoffs. Part of the problem for the Celtics is that they could have afforded him and gotten some utility out of him by using his Bird rights. Now we have to try and find some vet somewhere who can play some tight defense on the James' and Kobe's of the world and all we could offer this theoretical player would be the vet minimum. What are the chances Danny pulls that one off?

Danny's best chance to get anyone of note now is if Wallace holds true to his desire to retire and we can trade him and get back someone who fits into our rotation.

[Spleen]

Here how our line up stands at this point in time:

1. Pierce
2. Allen
3. Garnet
4. Rondo
5. Perkins
6. Davis
7. O'Neil
8. Robinson
9. Erden
10. Bradley
11. Harangody (not signed yet)
12. Gaffney (has a non-guaranteed contract for this season)
13. Lafayette ( " " " " " " " " " ) --- he may end up getting cut, but should be invited to training camp
14.
15.


Sure would like to see another solid veteran in this lineup, as it isn't looking so strong off the bench.

[CaptChris]

YOu using the term "Solid Vet" and Tony Allen in the same sentence??? WOW~

[Celtics17]

Here how our line up stands at this point in time:

1. Pierce
2. Allen
3. Garnet
4. Rondo
5. Perkins
6. Davis
7. O'Neil
8. Robinson
9. Bradley
10. Harangody (not signed yet)
11. Gaffney (has a non-guaranteed contract for this season)
12 Lafayette " " " " " " --- he may end up getting cut, but should be invited to training camp
13.
14.
15.


Sure would like to see another solid veteran in this lineup.

What about Erden? I thought he was signed?

[nepg]

The funny part is that he'll get even less playing time with the Grizz...

[CaptChris]

As Tony says: "Up the street, the soldiers, they are marching down".

[Spleen]

The solid vet is going to be someone else, you know, a 20/10 guy in his prime willing to play with the Encore Three for the vet minimum.

How could I have ever forgotten about our European savior? My bad!!

Semih is going to come in and prove that the last guy picked a couple of years ago can be better than the top guys picked this year because he has all of that pro experience playing for the Turkish National team against top competition back home. Ouch, bit too hard.

[Celtics17]

The solid vet is going to be someone else, you know, a 20/10 guy in his prime willing to play with the Encore Three for the vet minimum.

How could I have ever forgotten about our European savior? My bad!!

Semih is going to come in and prove that the last guy picked a couple of years ago can be better than the top guys picked this year because he has all of that pro experience playing for the Turkish National team against top competition back home. Ouch, bit too hard.

I'm not saying he's a savior, just saying that he's on the roster. Hopefully, he can help. Not counting Semih, we only have three bigs in the rotation to start the season as of right now.

[CaptChris]

17: I agree that Erden shows some skill. He moves well, has good hands, and can actually shoot foul shots. Needs more strength in thelower body, but has some low post moves.

[Spleen]

Well Tony has finally given us his reason.

An article in the Boston Globe reported: "Being in Boston, I was kind of overshadowed by those guys, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. I kind of feel like I am a rookie again, with something to prove." Sure he was overshadowed, as they are multiple All-Star participants and future Hall of Famers. In six seasons with the Celtics, Tony only averaged 56 games a year, so I guess he was also overshadowed by the number of games Paul, Ray, and Kevin each played over the past 6 years. Tony finished out the season well and carried that into the Playoffs and his defensive efforts were integral to our advance to the Finals and taking it to 7 games, but at the same time we have all seen glimpses of good play from him only to see them followed up with some terrible play and often punctuated with a stint on the DL and an extended recovery and getting back up to speed time.

Tony listening to that alien voice inside his head is his own worst enemy. He could have gotten a similar contract length and money from the Celtics, but instead liked the ego stroke that the Griz laid on him. He's not going to be starting for them, and he also isn't going to have a shot at going to the Finals with that team, and may not even make the Playoffs. Twenty nine years old and feeling he was "... kind of overshadowed by those guys, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen..." and not understanding that everyone else on that team was also overshadowed by them but had bought into the concept of being a team player and not looking for your individual stats in order to win --- isn't this just a slightly veiled and frosted version of just feeling dissed?

Good luck Tony, you may be feeling good about going to the Grizz now, but when you come to realize that you will still be a role player on a team not nearly as close to a championship as the one that you left and you can't even point to making more money or having a starting role, then perhaps in the dim of night you may someday look into a mirror and realize that listening to those demons in your head has lead you once more into making another poor decision. For some folks they need to smack their head several times into a stone wall before coming to realize that it isn't a good idea.

[nepg]

Now he'll be overshadowed by OJ Mayo, Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol, and Zach Randolph. What an idiot.

[hurdler]

Tony plays behind saint ray the greatest shooter in history who can 0-fer from 3pt range 4 times in the first 6 games of the finals and then play 45 mins to go 3-14 while TA gets 5 minutes. With our celtics, TA will be the guy who can't shoot and cant play PG.

Now he goes to a young team that needs defense and experience, and will want to run with all their young players. TA can pick up minutes at the 1-2-3 positions because Mayo can play PG. He's going to a place where his strengths can be maximized and his weakness won't be glaring. In memphis he can be THE 6th man.

I'm hoping bradley can be contributing by January and Marquis does this year what I hoped from him last year. We've go one more chance for a run this year and about 30 mill in expiring contracts in just 2 players the year after--if the nba plays that year.

[texascelticsfan]

TA will be starting for the Grizz. The C's should've moved Ray to 6th man last season, but are still going to ride with him starting despite him being more beneficial as a 6th man.

I think had they promised a starting role to TA he would've stayed, but I would be just as reluctant to do that as DA was, leave that to Chris Wallace.

Nonetheless, Ray in a Manu Ginobli/Jason Terry like role as a spark off the bench would be the best adjustment Doc could make. I'd even see how Daniels/Bradley did with the starters, you never know.

[nepg]

You can't start TA with your only somewhat consistent offense coming from Paul Pierce. This team really should have gone after Morrow. It's stupid that they didn't.

[hurdler]

Bye bye TA, hello Delonte (http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=NBA&id=1064&line=138194&spln=1) ...... West (http://wjz.com/sports/Cavs.West.plea.2.1824773.html)!

We don't have any players with moms living in the area, right?

[texascelticsfan]

I like Redz, his craziness was always endearing when he was in Boston (Popeyes Chicken makes me laugh still).

Of course, this shirt is fantastic...

http://cache0.bigcartel.com/product_images/25546133/300.jpg

[R-MOR]

Delonte West? im in the opposition for this one