Boston Celtics Trade Rumors: Why Celtics Must Deal Ray Allen

With only a few hours to go before the trade deadline, the Boston Celtics need to move Ray Allen while they still have a chance.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, teams are offering either a young player or first-round pick for the veteran guard.

The Celtics are waiting for a team to offer both, but when they made that offer to the Indiana Pacers, President of Operations Larry Bird said, "If that's the value Danny's putting on Ray, he ain't getting it."

Danny Ainge can keep hoping for a team to cave at the last minute, but it is more likely that his price is simply set too high.

Boston does not look like a team that can compete for a championship, and the roster is too old to simply keep the status quo. 

Ray Allen is not only a future Hall of Fame player and one of the best shooters ever to play the game, but he can still be a useful piece on another team's roster. Ainge should recognize this and do his best to get value in return while he still can.

The team has also discussed moving Rajon Rondo, but the talented point guard is still in his prime and would be a better option to build the team around. On the other hand, Allen is 10 years older and on the decline.

The worst thing the Celtics can do is trick themselves into thinking that the current team could still be contenders. They need to start a rebuilding effort now and acquire young talent for the future.