In my minor NBA moves post, I wrote the following about Tony Allen:
Jeff Van Gundy called Allen the best perimeter defender in the league, and the C’s curiously let him sign elsewhere for around $3 million a season. He is a very good defender. I watched him cover LeBron James, Vince Carter and Kobe Bryant in consecutive playoff series and he didn’t give up very many easy shots. Why Boston would let him go is beyond me.
When asked about Allen’s departure, Danny Ainge said that it wasn’t a financial decision.
Allen left even though the Celtics could have exceeded the $10 million, three-year contract the swingman received.
“We had a good six years with Tony,’’ said Celtics president Danny Ainge. “I think you’d have to ask Tony [why he left]. We wanted Tony back. We tried to get him and it wasn’t a financial decision. It was other decisions. That’s something you’d have to ask Tony.’’
Allen is a very good perimeter defender, so the failure to re-sign him could bite the Celtics down the road.
