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Ray Allen discusses relationships with Pierce, Garnett

Former Connecticut Huskies head coach Jim Calhoun (right) helps honor former Connecticut Huskies and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Ray Allen with the retirement of his jersey number (34). David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Ray Allen discusses relationships with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 4/14/20

Might we see the famous Boston Celtics "Big Three" together under one roof soon?

Ray Allen recently spoke with former player and podcast host Cedric Maxwell and Josue Pavon of CLNS Media about a variety of topics, including his past and current relationships with former teammates Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett and why he left the Boston Celtics for the Miami Heat in the summer of 2012.

Ray Allen was asked if he will attend Kevin Garnett's #Celtics jersey retirement ceremony .@TDGarden:

“As far as me being there, I think that is a subject that is really undecided yet. It would take Kevin and I to have a conversation moving forward"
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) April 14, 2020

Ray Allen on why he left the #Celtics :

"As you know when I left, I left as a free agent. I left because there were so many unresolved issues that the team wasn’t considering or willing to change" (1/2)
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) April 14, 2020

We had tough times, we’re brothers. We went through a lot. But that doesn’t change anything that we’ve done. It hurt me over the course of this time just to hear some of the things that have been said, we’re supposed to be celebrating in these times – having won it in 2008. (2/3)
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) April 14, 2020

Allen adds:

"We’re supposed to be celebrating, talking about the great times but instead they want to be mad at me because I left and went to Miami." (3/3)
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) April 14, 2020

I moved forward. I have a family, I’m retired.

I’ve moved on and I’m not going to go anywhere where I’m not wanted (Boston for KG's retirement ceremony) and I do believe that sentiment has been relayed quite often on social media and on so many different outlets." (2/2)
— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) April 14, 2020

It was a pleasure to chill w my brother Ray Allen yesterday on my #podcast

He told me that he & KG have to have a conversation before he’d attend HOF or #Celtics Jersey retirement.

Don’t u think it’s time for these 2 legends to talk it out?

Full EP- https://t.co/s6cLxNqtRx pic.twitter.com/l2qwaSjHBF
— Cedric Maxwell (@cedricmaxwell81) April 14, 2020

Allen, Pierce and Garnett guided the Celtics to the 2008 NBA championship when Boston toppled the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals. After the 2011-12 season, Allen rejected a contract offer from the Celtics and joined LeBron James and the Heat. He won his second ring with the Heat the subsequent June.

In September 2018, The Ringer's Haley O'Shaughnessy wrote about the beef between Allen and his former teammates. While Allen described that he felt disrespected by the Celtics during his final days with the organization, Pierce saw Allen's decision to join the Heat as a basketball betrayal.

Last week, Garnett said that he wished he'd left the Minnesota Timberwolves to team with Pierce and Allen sooner than the summer of 2007.

"We’d probably be sitting on about two or three more rings," Garnett commented.

Perhaps time, and also a pandemic, can heal any existing wounds between those NBA legends.

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