If the Boston Celtics had plans to retire Ray Allen’s number, then they’re certainly not in any hurry to do so.
In case you missed the Fourth of July fiasco, free agent Gordon Hayward announced his decision to join the Celtics on Tuesday evening after his agent denied an earlier report that the forward was heading to Boston and sent NBA Twitter into a frenzy. However, what got lost in the shuffle was the fact Hayward wore No. 20 for the Utah Jazz for seven seasons.
It’s been debated whether the Celtics will retire No. 20 for Allen, who was and All-Star for three of his five seasons in Boston and was an instrumental part of the team’s 2008 NBA championship, but it seems a decision has been made, at least for now.
Of course, Allen only retired after the 2013-14 season and considered playing after that, so Hayward wearing No. 20 doesn’t mean they won’t retire it down the road. Whether the Celtics should, though, likely will remain a hot topic of debate.
Thumbnail photo via Richard Mackson/USA TODAY Sports Images
