Today in Celtics history: the Ray Allen trade
Celtics traded for Ray Allen. KG refused trade while in Minn then saw Super Team emerging and jumped in. They started it all— Jason McIntyre (@jasonrmcintyre) June 2, 2017
The deal, which sent Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, and Jeff Green to the Seattle Supersonics in exchange for Ray and Glen "Big Baby" Davis, was as much about setting new Sonics GM Sam Presti up with the foundation he desired - based on defense, not one of Allen's strong suits despite the UConn product's legendary shooting - as it was to quell a nonplussed Paul Pierce. Eerily similar to a situation unfolding at this very moment, Pierce, a disgruntled star on a rebuilding team, was making noise about leaving if they could not assemble a roster capable of contending in his prime. Little did he know, help was on the way, and not just from Jesus - Shuttlesworth, that is.
May 1, 1998, Spike Lee's 'He Got Game' was released in theaters .. Ray Allen as Jesus Shuttleswotth & Denzel as Jake Shuttlesworth 🏀 pic.twitter.com/fFff7pFnnH— Ave (@SebastianAvenue) May 1, 2017
Said Presti of the trade (per ESPN):
"You're always listening when you come into a situation like this. You don't wake up one day and look to move a player like a Ray Allen ... Someone has to come get them and Boston did that here...To make the decision to move a player - and a person - like Ray Allen was tremendously difficult ... Boston really pursued this. What started as a smaller conversation became fulfilled. Their pursuit was impeccable."
Said former teammate and then-rookie Kevin Durant (also per ESPN):
"Now, I can start shopping for a home [...]"
Hindsight can be poetic and cruel at the same time, I suppose. And it seems too poetic, given the circumstances swirling around the club in the present. So, I will try (and fail) to stay focused on that summer day a decade ago, and enjoy the same, nearly-oppressive anticipation for the coming season. I will remember hoping against hope the whispers about Garnett's desire to leave the Minnesota Timberwolves was a fact - and that he wouldn't pick the Los Angeles Lakers if he did leave and not choose Boston. We all know what happened afterwards, so enjoy the memories, and try not to think too hard about what might (or might not) be about to happen in the present.
Mark Twain did once say "History doesn't repeat itself", after all.
He also said, "it rhymes".
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