Ray Sticking it to the C's (by making them sweat)

Y'all got this figured out yet?

The Ray Allen Saga, that is.

Ray is staying. He's going. He's thinking about it. Phoenix is in. They're out. Well, he's not quite sure.

Right.

Whatever.

I think I know what's going on.

Every year since  2008, including the year we got Sheed in the offseason, and, you might remember, everyone was predicting a 70-win season, mid-season has been marked by a shared experience.

The C's were one piece short of a championship.

OK.

How did we try to acquire that piece?

Yup.

Ray Allen.

Oh sure, Rondo got all the attention at last year's trade deadline. But Jesus has been dangled every season he's worn green except the first.

And, gosh darn it, he's sick of it. But not as sick as he was when the trade rumors were circulating every half-hour, making him and his family miserable. You remember Ray Allen, right? The guy who is a creature of routine. The guy who has to sit in the same plane seat every flight. The guy who has to take the same number of shots before each game.

Trade rumors kill this kind of person. And we don't know the half of it. Think about all the conversations between Ray and his agent, between Ray and his Mom, between Ray and his Wife. I'm sure it all drove him nuts. All Ray wanted to do was play basketball and stick to his routine.

So he's leaving, right?

Wrong.

He's just making the C's sweat.

He's gonna drag this out, make everyone agonize over him leaving, and, like Danny, decide that status quo is best. He's making Danny sweat just like the C's made him sweat.

This might not be all of it.

But it's certainly part of it.

Problem is, I'm not so sure Mickael Pietrus isn't a better bargain. I'm even less convinced keeping Ray Allen is the answer if one option we are passing up is a sign and trade where we can land something better, another younger player who will help us transition from the Garnett Era to the next Era (and, come on now, that's what this is, right, the Garnett Era?)

So while Ray really wants to stay in the Celtics family, keeping Ray Allen might not be in the Celtics best interests. And that's how its always been. Just business. I'm sure Ray is doing his own due diligence. But I'm pretty sure he's dragging this out for some payback.