Garnett and Pierce seemingly still haven’t forgotten and forgiven.
Miami Heat star Ray Allen has revealed that his former Boston Celtics team-mates haven’t spoken to him since he left the franchise in 2012.
The NBA veteran left after failing to receive guarantees from the front office over his future, and with the winning era coming to a close in Boston, Allen decided to join the defending champions in the Miami Heat.
His decision was arguably proved the right one considering he went on to help them defend their title, but the move to Boston’s Eastern Conference rivals didn’t sit well with his former team-mates.
Both Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce continued with the Celtics for another season before joining the Brooklyn Nets in the summer, and Allen has insisted that they were in the same predicament as he was in before leaving.
“They haven’t spoken to me,” Allen said on Friday night.
“For them to be so upset with me is disappointing because of how everything happened. That banner in 2008 is still going to be there, and we’re still going to be tied to it.”
Critics have suggested that Garnett is a hypocrite considering that he had to waive a no-trade clause to make way for the move to Brooklyn.
While he was traded, there is an argument to suggest that there is little difference between the two situations, and Allen also looked at former coach Doc Rivers and his decision to leave for the Los Angeles Clippers.
“Look, I have a feeling they were in the same predicament I was in this summer. Even with Doc (Rivers), he had to make a decision that was best for himself. I was in the same situation.
“I’m happy they were put into the same situation as I was. Anytime you get traded there’s no telling where you could end up. They’re in a situation now where they can contend. Kevin had to make that decision, and that was the predicament I was in.”
Despite their success together and long standing friendship over the course of several years, it remains to be seen if Garnett and Pierce move on with their former team-mate.
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