NBA Rumors: Ray Allen Needs to Patch Things Up with Rondo and Return to Celts

Now that Ray Allen is an unrestricted free agent, he essentially gets to pick the team he spends the 2012-2013 season with. After all, who wouldn't want to have the sharpshooting veteran leader on their team for what's sure to be a relatively meager salary? 

Allen, despite the supposed issues he's been having with Rajon Rondo, needs to return to the Celtics, though, and spurn the advances of the other 29 teams in the league. 

According to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, who appeared on the Dennis & Callahan Show, a local Boston sports radio talk-show, Allen and Rondo went through a bit of a shaky stretch during their mutual time with the Boston Celtics. In Mannix's opinion, this paves the way for Allen's exit from Celtic green: 

"

I think there's no question that the relationship was strained over this year. How strained is the key, and it's still a little bit unclear. There was some friction between those two.

I think that could play a role in Ray's decision not to come back. Now, I agree, I think that Boston probably wasn't going to bring him back anyway, you're right, it's Avery Bradley's job and Ray isn't coming back to the Celtics to be a bench player, especially when he can be a bench player on a team that might be more likely to win a championship.

But I think the relationship over the last year between Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo soured. Now, I'm not entirely clear as to how bad it got. But certainly I know that there was some legitimate, palpable friction between those two players and I think that will ultimately affect his decision in free agency.

"

The key part of Mannix's statement comes in the second sentence of the above quotation. No one, other than Rondo and Allen, with the possible exception of teammates and those closest to the players, knows just how bad the relationship between the two backcourt mates is. 

It's not like we've ever been clued in by either of the two players. Allen's trademark sneer never leaves his face, and there's no hint of emotion even when he makes a big shot from downtown, while Rondo seems to be in his own strange little world when he's running the show at point. 

If there is indeed friction between the two, we have no idea how bad it is. However, regardless of the magnitude, it's in Allen's best interest to preserve his legacy and finish out the remainder of his storied career with the team he won his only ring with. 

Although they'll all be a year older, this version of the C's squad plays well together and wasn't that far removed from toppling the mighty Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals and then advancing to a showdown with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals. 

The series that knocked them out was close enough that a healthy Avery Bradley may have made all the difference by slowing Dwyane Wade and forcing LeBron James to be even more than the superhuman sensation he was during Games 6 and 7. 

With what seems like the entire roster entering into unrestricted free agency, it's highly unlikely that the C's will resemble the 2011-2012 team when the next season rolls around. However, Allen can help ensure that the core remains together. 

If Allen decides to return to Boston, Brandon Bass would be more inclined to use his player option to remain with the team, and Kevin Garnett would be even more motivated to return. The power forward may be leaning towards retirement, but Mannix also reports that if he returns to the NBA, it's likely to be with the Celtics. 

As old as they may be, a returning core of Allen, Garnett, Bass, Rondo, Bradley and Paul Pierce would undoubtedly draw a lot of attention from upper-level free agents. That version of the Celtics would compete in the East once more. 

Allen has the option of playing anywhere his heart desires during the 2012-2013 season, but his heart's best option is to patch things up with Rondo and remain in the same uniform.