How Boston Celtics' Signing of Jason Terry Impacts Ray Allen's Future

The Boston Celtics are a team with a formula for success. They utilize the offseason to find players who fit their mold, and with their first move of the 2012 period of free agency, the Celtics brought in one of the best players available who fits their system.

According to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, the Boston Celtics have agreed to a deal with 2009 Sixth Man of the Year Jason Terry. The deal is said to be worth upward of $15 million, with the Celtics using their $5 million mid-level exception to get the job done.

Jason Terry is one of the best perimeter scorers in the game today, fitting the mold of "sharpshooter" as well as anyone in basketball. He was a member of the 2011 NBA champion Dallas Mavericks and played a key role in their ability to overcome the heavily favored Miami Heat—the very team that the Celtics have fallen to in the postseason for two years running.

While the addition of an elite scorer such as Terry is certain to aid the Celtics in their pursuit of a second title in six seasons, it beckons a question that few have wanted to answer: What's next for Ray Allen?

As Spears reports, it could be more of the same.

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Keep in mind Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he wanted both Ray Allen & Jason Terry in this recent Yahoo! Sports story: yhoo.it/N6SaOF

— Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) July 3, 2012"

An explanation of Allen's value is hardly necessary. The greatest three-point shooter in NBA history won an NBA championship with the Celtics in 2008 and played a key role in the NBA Finals in 2010 and their 2012 Conference Finals appearance.

Thankfully for Boston, it can offer a much more lucrative deal than most of its competitors under the CBA's Bird Rights rules.

While the financial flexibility is available, is the rotation big enough for three shooting guards worthy of a starter's minutes? With youngster Avery Bradley emerging as a viable option in 2012, that answer could be no with Terry coming in as the team's sixth man.

As Spears reported, however, head coach Doc Rivers believes he can make it work.

At the end of the day, Allen's future with the team comes down to one thing: What can the Celtics offer him that other teams cannot? In comparison to the Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat, their case just so happens to be weak.

Allen could start with the Clippers and play the role of sixth man with the Miami Heat. He could also compete for a title with two teams in their prime whose greatest needs would be addressed with Allen's arrival. While we can't dive into the mind of Allen, we can evaluate the greater situation.

The ball is no longer in Boston's court. Ray Allen is taking the shot that could change everything.