Throwing a few more dimes: Ray Allen doesn't want J.R. Giddens to hit the rim

Once in a while, someone else's article catches my eye. Sometimes, it's because the article is so spot-on I wish I'd written it myself. Other times, it's because the article enlightens me with something I never knew. Still other times, it's because I disagree with whatever's written. No matter what the reason, I dish it off to another writer to make his/her point. You know, throwing some dimes.

Just read a couple good pieces, so I wanted to let you guys know about them:

• First, from TrueHoop, a story of Ray Allen teasing J.R. Giddens for hitting the rim on a made jump shot:

As Giddens took long-range shooting practice this morning at the United Center in Chicago, Ray Allen sat observing, just inches away on the bench. Giddens isn't not a congenital shooter -- he falls away a bit on his shot -- but this morning, he was doing alright. He hit three consecutive shots in front of Allen from the right side.

But that wasn't sufficient for Allen.

"You touched the rim!" Allen said after Giddens' third make.

Giddens turned around to face Allen. He wasn't despondent, but appeared more like an eager child trying to please a father-coach.

Stories like that are always cool.  It's interesting to get a peek at what goes on behind the scenes, the relationships between players.

• Chris Forsberg from ESPNBoston, asking the question, "Do you want Ray to stay?":

The best general managers in sports have to make tough decisions like this on a regular basis. While now is probably not the opportune time to point it out, the New England Patriots were the NFL's team of the decade in large part because of the shrewd personnel decisions the team made in order to remain a top competitor over the long haul.

Put yourself in Danny Ainge's shoes and suppose the Celtics win another NBA title in June, what should management do? Bring back Allen, committing quality money over what would likely be at least a two-year period? Or recognize that you squeezed two championships out of a three-year window with this new Big 3 and start the turnover process, potentially using the savings to try to lure a quality young player out of a bountiful 2010 free-agent class?

I would love for him to stay, but only at a reasonable price.  From what Ray said about the Allen Iverson saga earlier this season, he understands veteran players have to take a discount and accept a smaller role to continue to play for a contender.  It's a nice attitude, and one I hope brings Ray back to Boston after a sizeable pay cut.