Ray Allen didn't feel wanted, and that's why he left Celtics for Heat

The more Ray Allen talks, the more we learn. Most of Allen's comments after his decision to leave the Boston Celtics (where he won his only championship) and join the Miami Heat have rubbed C's fans the wrong way, and for good reason. Allen just kept tossing darts at an organization that loved him.

Or so we thought.

Allen opened up in an interview with Jackie MacMullan of ESPN Boston, and his quotes painted a clear picture. At the end of the day, Ray just didn't feel wanted by the Celtics, his relationship with Doc Rivers wasn't what it once was and he was sick of all the trade rumors.

"Two years ago when I was a free agent, the whole organization sent me a text asking me to come back," Allen said. "This time it was a little more subdued."

This time, while Pierce and Garnett texted their support and Ainge initiated the dialogue at the stroke of midnight, Rivers stayed out of the negotiations. Their relationship, once strong, faltered in Allen's final months wearing Celtic green.

"Doc never called and said, 'We want you to come back,'" Allen said. "I can't say I expected him to do that. It's hard to say what the protocol is in those situations."

MacMullan's wonderful piece (and really, what story from her isn't amazing?) also brought to light a few other things to light, including the fact that Celtics general manger Danny Ainge had talked about trading Allen for Tracy McGrady, and on a few other occasions.

As for the constant uncertainty regarding trades, Allen said, talks began within months of his arrival in Boston. According to Allen, during that 2007-08 season, which resulted in a championship for the Celtics, Boston discussed a swap of Allen for Tracy McGrady.

"I got word of it through back channels," Allen said.

Two years later, he said, he got word that both he and Eddie House were on the block. House was the one to go, to the New York Knicks for Nate Robinson. There was the aforementioned dalliance with Phoenix in 2009, and then last season, Allen was nearly traded to Memphis for O.J. Mayo.

Also of note, Ainge told MacMullan that the Celtics' offer to Allen this offseason -- two years for $12 million -- also included a no-trade clause, which given all of the rumors Allen went through certainly seemed reasonable.

Nevertheless, Allen still stiffed the Celtics this offseason, and it appeared that after years of build up, that's all he was ever planning on doing this time around.

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