Ray Allen Addresses Roots of Problems With Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, Celtics in New Book
In Ray Allen's new book "From the Outside: My Journey Through Life and the Game I Love," the 10-time All-Star delves into the dynamics of NBA locker rooms and how players deal with issues among each other.
According to Sporting News, Allen and Michael Arkush, who helped write the book, discussed Allen's issues with some of his former teammates on the Celtics and how that led to his eventual departure to the Heat.
Allen compares NBA locker rooms to high schools, writing about "the cliques that form and the gossip, much of it untrue, that somebody spreads," according to Sporting News. When he first arrived to Boston with Kevin Garnett, Allen writes about during his first preseason when they were playing a game in Rome, and when Allen began his pregame routine of dribbling in front of his locker, Garnett told him, "No, you're not going to do that," according to Sporting News.
Allen also recollects an incident from shortly after that when the two went out to dinner one night before the start of the 2007-08 season, and when Allen asked the waitress for the check, Garnett responded, "No, I tip way better than him, so you better give me the check," according to Sporting News.
Allen also details the start of his issues with Rajon Rondo, according to Sporting News. Allen talks about multiple incidents in which Rondo was nearly traded, including one time in 2009, when Allen was going to be traded along with Rondo in a deal to the Suns for Amar'e Stoudemire. But Allen told Rondo to talk with team president Danny Ainge to address the problems the front office had with the point guard. Allen added that coach Doc Rivers pulled out on another deal before the 2011-12 season that would have sent Rondo to New Orleans for Chris Paul, because Rivers didn't want New Orleans coach Monty Williams—who played for Rivers on the Magic—to have to deal with Rondo, according to Sporting News.
According to Sporting News, Allen also chronicles a few incidents Rondo had in the locker room, such as Rondo saying he carried the team to the 2008 championship, accusing Allen of being jealous of him, refusing to watch film during a postseason series and telling Allen "I'm going to get you ass out of here this summer" during Allen's last year in Boston.
Allen, who also writes that if he could only play with one of his teammates from throughout his career again, it would be Garnett, according to Sporting News, writes that all of these incidents in addition to Boston's contract offer in the summer of 2012 pushed him to leave for Miami.
Although Allen's split from the Celtics led to a lot of anger in his direction, he did eventually bury the hatchet with Paul Pierce. Allen did not make it to Pierce's jersey retirement last month though, but he did post a message of congratulations for Pierce on Instagram.
Allen, who is a finalist for the Basketball Hall of Fame this year, played five of his 18 NBA seasons in Boston. Allen averaged 16.7 points, shot 40.9 percent from three and made two All-Star teams while with the Celtics. He also helped the team reach at least the second round in the playoffs each season. He is third in franchise history in three-pointers made.
