Yahoo! Sports NBA writer Adrian Wojnarowski appeared on the Mut & Merloni show Tuesday to discuss all things NBA, including trade rumors involving Dwight Howard and the future of Ray Allen. To hear the interview, go to the .
Wojnarowski said that if the Celtics are indeed offering Allen a two-year deal worth $12 million, that it puts them in a favorable position to get him back, but he didn t cross off other potential suitors. One team Wojnarowski doesn t think will land Allen, however, are the Grizzlies, who were reportedly asking about Allen during the trade deadline.
When Boston and Memphis talked about a deal at the trade deadline that fell apart, I know that Ray was not excited about being sent to Memphis, Wojnarowski said. Even though they re a playoff team, he didn t see it as a very desirable location at that time. I think geography is important to Ray and his family being geographically being closer, that s why I thought the Knicks could be a possibility because of that, and obviously Miami s intriguing because he knows he has a chance to be on the big stage to win, Mike Miller s future is very much in doubt there.
The fact that Boston has shown, if they are at two years, $6 million per, which I think is comparable to what I ve been hearing of what Jason Terry is being offered by teams around the league, then I think that gives Boston a good chance to be able to retain him.
Wojnarowski doesn t think a rumored poor relationship with Rajon Rondo will deter him from signing with the Celtics, but he thinks it is a factor in the decision.
The thing with Ray and Rajon which I think has been there, the one thing people have always said to me, in that locker room and in the organization is, whatever issue they may have had with each other, with personalities, they never carried it on the court, Wojnarowski said. It never was an issue on the court, which at the end of the day is all that really matters. So only Ray knows how much of a factor it is. I think it is a factor, but I don t think it s enough of a factor that it s driving him away or would drive him away. Ray Allen is not going to leave Boston because he doesn t get along with Rajon Rondo.
Wojnarowski also touched on the Howard saga. The unsatisfied All-Star center is reportedly being shopped in a potential trade with the Nets, but Wojnarowski doesn t think that s going to happen.
He s not going to Brooklyn. It s very unlikely. Orlando s not interested in accommodating what Dwight wants, Wojnarowski said. They re willing to make the deal that they think gives them the best return. Last year, when teams wanted to take Dwight as a rental, he had the real threat of, Hey, if you trade for me at the trade deadline or before the season or whatever it would be, I m just going to go to Brooklyn as a free agent because they have cap space. He doesn t have that threat anymore. The Nets are loading up all their cap space as we speak.
Added Wojnarowski: What team out there has cap space next year that would be appealing to him? Now Atlanta has been talked about a lot the last couple of days because of all the money they re getting off, but listen, a big part of what Dwight has been doing here in wanting to get to a big market, specifically New York or LA, is his Adidas deal is worth two, I ve been told even three times more by being in New York or LA. So going from Orlando to Atlanta, while it s his hometown and Josh Smith is a close friend, and maybe it s appealing on some levels, it s not going to give him the pay day that he s been looking for here.
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