Paul Pierce ready to put Ray Allen feud behind him
The end of the "Big Three" era, most commonly thought to have ended with the blockbuster deal that sent Paul and teammates Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry to the Brooklyn Nets for the picks which would one day yield the likes of Jaylen Brown, James Young, (probably) Markelle Fultz, and whomever is taken with the 2018 Brooklyn First, actually began with the defection of Ray Allen to the Miami Heat the summer after the Celts were eliminated by that squad. The way Ray left was a huge issue for not only the fans, but the team as well, who lived by the "Ubuntu" (we are ourselves through others) philosophy during their roughly five-year run; going to their chief opponent without so much as a phone call - for less money, to boot - drove a wedge between the once-united, self-proclaimed family unit.
“It was more than basketball for us… It felt like a sour breakup.”— KG's Area 21 (@KGArea21) May 9, 2017
Pierce, KG, Rondo, Big Baby & Perk share their thoughts on Ray Allen. pic.twitter.com/8JYRWmxm0i
That wedge recently resurfaced during an unofficial reunion on the "Area 21" segment hosted by Garnett, where a somber moment was spent airing exactly these grievances, yet - for the first time in many opportunities to so act, the group seemed somewhat disposed to a reconciliation. A recent interview with Boston.com's Gary Dzen seemed to signal that sentiment wasn't just a passing fancy, and that at least Paul was ready to put things behind him regarding the split with Ray:
"I know eventually it’s gonna smooth over ... we’ll all sit down one day, probably have a cigar, glass of wine and talk about it. Hopefully sometime in the near future. You know I’m hoping."
Time may heal all wounds, but there's no way of knowing if the other Cs from that era feel the same. It's quite possible they do not - and the possibility Allen himself may have no desire to extend an olive branch after such a long and cold period between them is also a possibility. But given the rift came from his own choices and lack of follow-up, the ball is still in his court to make amends if any are to be made.
Related: The Paul Pierce Tribute Pod
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