NBA Trade Rumors: Not Trading Ray Allen Makes Little Sense for Celtics

As the Boston Celtics look toward the future they must consider all options to improve the team, and that should include trading important players off of this year's roster.

While star point guard Rajon Rondo and star forward Paul Pierce should be untouchable, not trading Ray Allen would be a foolish move.

According to HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy, the Celtics are listening to calls about Allen, but are not actively shopping him.

Sports Illustrated reported that the Los Angeles Clippers have expressed interest in acquiring Allen, but the price of a young player and a draft pick is too high for them.

The Clippers acquiring Allen makes a ton of sense. First of all, they badly need a player who can score consistently in the playoffs from the shooting guard position.

Allen's ability to hit huge three-point shots and defend well when the pressure's on would be a valuable asset to the inexperienced Clippers roster.

Ever since veteran guard Chauncey Billups was lost for the season due to an Achilles injury, the Clippers have needed more guard depth.

Would it be worth giving up promising young guard Eric Bledsoe in a deal for Allen? For the Clippers it would be, and for the Celtics, it would also be a good move.

Bledsoe's solid outside shooting and great potential would make him a nice replacement for Allen, and he would be a talented young player the Celtics could build around with Rajon Rondo.

The Celtics cannot be greedy when asking for a huge return for Allen. Bledsoe for Allen straight up helps both sides, but I cannot see the Clippers putting a first-round draft pick in there too.

Allen is a tremendous player and the Boston fans love him, but he'll be a free agent in the summer, and it's going to be hard to keep him when many contenders will likely offer him more money than the Celtics will.

With very few veteran shooting guards on the trade market, the Celtics would be wise to trade Allen for a young player they can use for the future while at the same time not severely diminishing the talent of the current roster.

Allen is still a productive player for Boston, but if you can acquire a bright young player like Bledsoe in return for him, you make the deal.

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