“It was more than basketball for us… It felt like a sour breakup.”
— KG's Area 21 (@KGArea21) May 9, 2017
Pierce, KG, Rondo, Big Baby & Perk share their thoughts on Ray Allen. pic.twitter.com/8JYRWmxm0i
May 10 (UPI) -- Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis discussed former Boston Celtics teammate Ray Allen Monday on TNT's Area 21.
But Rondo didn't say much. Actually, the current Chicago Bulls guard simply said "I'm good" when asked for his take on the sour Beantown departure.
The "Big 3" did the most talking about the "sensitive" topic. Garnett said the show was getting a flow of Twitter comments about Allen, who was the only player from the era absent from the set.
"The situation with Ray is very sensitive," said Garnett, a host for the show. "I think when we all talked about doing this reunion tour, we was talking about guys that we consider loyal, part of this group. Just being honest — my two cent, man. When Ray decided to go to the Heat, I felt like he moved on. He went to pursue another ring. He got another ring — shout to him. And that's it...It was all Celtics invited to this."
Pierce admitted that he was "hurt" when Allen bolted during the 2012 offseason to sign with the rival Miami Heat. He went on to join LeBron James and win his second career NBA Finals in 2013.
Allen, 41, retired after the 2014 season. He finished his 18-year career with an NBA record 2,973 made 3-pointers. He is a lock for the Hall of Fame. Allen was taken No. 5 overall in the 1996 NBA Draft and went on to 10 All-Star nods and two All-NBA selections.
"I was initially hurt by the whole way everything went down," Pierce said. "I don't have no beef with none of my teammates. I was just hurt on how it went down. We all came together, we talked about it. We talked everyday. We hung out all the time and then, when it was time for free agency — and to each his own — by I thought we formed a brotherhood here in Boston...That's what I was hurt about when Ray didn't at least give us a heads up about it."
Pierce also threw a jab, saying Allen's relationship with coach Doc Rivers was "kinda souring at the time." He said the bond was hurt because Avery Bradley was cutting into Allen's playing time. Allen averaged 34 minutes per game while Bradley averaged 21.3 minutes per game. Rondo averaged 36.9 minutes, Pierce averaged 34 minutes and Garnett averaged 31.1 minutes during the 2011 season.
"It almost felt like you are married and you come home and the wife and the kids and the clothes and everything is out the house," Pierce said of Allen. "You didn't get a note or nothing...they just gone."
Allen and Davis arrived in Boston in 2007 in a trade with the Seattle SuperSonics. "Jesus Shuttlesworth" made more than $184.3 million in salary during his career.
Davis told TMZ before the meeting that he didn't "have a problem" with Allen.
On Tuesday, a photo was posted from Allen's Facebook account showing him in a Heat jersey, driving to the basket against Rondo and the Celtics.
Allen's publicist said his page was hacked, according to ESPN and Bleacher Report. The photo has since been removed and the account is now unverified.
Pierce left the Celtics for the Brooklyn Nets following the 2011 season. Garnett left the Celtics in 2013 to join the Nets. Davis left in 2011 to join the Orlando Magic. The Celtics traded Rondo in 2014 to the Dallas Mavericks.
