NBA Free-Agent Speculation: Boston Celtics Must Extend Ray Allen's Contract

Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen talked about his future on sports radio WEEI on Friday, saying, "I don't need or want to go anywhere," when talking about a possible new deal.

Allen's current contract is up at the end of the year, and Celtics general manager Danny Ainge would be incredibly foolish not to re-sign the veteran to a new deal.

Despite being 36 years old, Allen keeps himself in tremendous shape and his conditioning is exceptional. His ability to run through multiple screens on offense and defend top perimeter scorers is a huge asset to the Celtics.

When asked about playing in Boston longer, Allen said:

"

Yeah, of-course I'm thinking about it. I don't need or want to go anywhere.  We got to get the rally hats going, so we can sign that new deal. That's a Danny Ainge question. Of course I'd love to continue to be here.

"

The Celtics need Allen to contend for an NBA championship now and in the future. We all know about his historic three-point shooting ability, but he is also a good one-on-one defender and a tremendous character guy.

Allen scored 16.5 points per game last season, proving he is still a productive offensive player who can be a reliable scorer on a nightly basis.

His field goal and three-point percentages last season were also the best of his Celtics career.

Another strong part of Allen's game is his durability. Despite previous surgeries done on his knees and the wear and tear of over a decade of NBA experience, Allen has missed just seven games over the past three seasons.

Every player on the Celtics roster next season is a free agent except Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Avery Bradley. Allen needs to be high on Ainge's list of players he should consider bringing back to Boston.

It's unlikely that Allen will accept the veterans minimum to come back for another season, but it would not be surprising to see him take a bit of a pay cut to stay. The fans love him and he is a humble, down-to-earth guy. 

People like Ray Allen are a rare breed in today's NBA, he's a very likable guy that is a great player on the court and gives a lot of time and effort to make a difference in his community.

The Celtics must make re-signing him a top priority before this season concludes.

Nicholas Goss is an NBA Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report, follow him on Twitter.

Follow @NicholasGoss35