Danny Ainge Responds To Ray Allen’s Departure & Future Moves

Posted by Brian Robb on Jul 7, 2012 3118020 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2012%2F07%2F07%2Fdanny-ainge-responds-to-ray-allens-departure-future-moves%2FDanny+Ainge+Responds+To+Ray+Allen%27s+Departure+%26+Future+Moves2012-07-07+19%3A57%3A30Brian+Robbhttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D31180

With the Celtics on the verge of starting their NBA Summer League in Orlando tomorrow, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe caught up with Danny Ainge today about Ray Allen’s departure.

“Obviously we need to fill the void, we need another shooting guard, of course,” [Ainge]  said. “There are a lot of good players left. We’re limited to what we can do with the biannual exception we need to wait and see.”

“We have been in contact with the whole list of guys you would look at,” Ainge said. “I don’t want to mention names but we have been in contact with them. We’ll continue to find the best player we can.”

While the Celtics will lose the consummate professional in Allen, Ainge said the team will move forward.

“We’ve added a couple of great professionals in Jeff Green and Jason Terry and we drafted three guys that I think are very professional and add to the locker room,” Ainge said. “Talent is a hard thing to find but we put a great deal of value into what goes on in the locker room also.”

So does this mean the Jeff Green deal is official now if Ainge is already referring to him as a part of the locker room? Hopefully it’s not for 10 millions dollars per year. In the meantime, Mickael Pietrus is probably waiting patiently by his phone and E’Twaun Moore’s post-summer prospects in Green just got a lot more promising as well.

Mark Murphy of  The Boston Herald  also had the stunned reaction from C’s assistant coach (and head coach of the summer league C’s) Ty Lue:

Celtics assistant coach Tyron Lue, who is running the Celtics summer league team, admitted that he didn’t see this one coming.

“I was shocked. I see Ray as a Celtic, but in this business you have to do what’s best for you,” said Lue. “So I have to wish him luck. But changing uniforms after being around here for so long is pretty big.

“Ray’s a professional – comes ready to play every day with the same workout he’s been doing for the last 15 years,” he said. “He’s the ultimate professional. The young guys will miss him, but somebody else has to step up and take responsibility.”

I have a feeling we’ll be hearing a lot more of “it’s a business” talk from Celtics players as more and more reaction comes in. I’m curious to know how some of those veterans (as well as Doc Rivers) truly feel about the situation.