Tony Allen Has to Go

This Tony Allen death threat story is the final straw for me:

...sources say (Allen) has made a very bad enemy in his hometown. Allen had been the target of alleged death threats for several months now, sources told Yahoo! Sports, and the Celtics’ visit to Chicago is now blanketed with around-the-clock protection.

“I wouldn’t want this dude after me,” one longtime Chicago friend of Allen’s said Thursday night.

“Is that what you want to write about?” Allen snapped when approached to discuss the threats. “Is that what you want to write about?”

There are plenty of guys in the NBA with "off-the-court" issues, but it reaches a new level when your issues involve legitimate death threats. Most teammates can temporarily put aside the fact that you drink and drive or "allegedly" pushed around your girlfriend. But death threats? You wanna be walking behind TA onto the team bus when masked gunmen pop out of an alley?

Don't laugh. From the reports, this appears to be more than just a deranged fan. TA is still mixed up with a bad crowd.

Sources say this issue has nothing to do with that case (2007 aggravated assault trial), that Allen has been a part of a dispute that’s gone unresolved for over a year. Friends are worried for him, and so are the Celtics. In fact, one long-time Allen friend was told by a Chicago police officer, a source said, that he would be wise to steer clear of the Celtic this weekend. Considering the source of these threats, no one with knowledge of the issue is dismissing these protection steps as an overreaction.

Hell - I wouldn't even want to sit next to him on the bench.

Tony has teased us with his talent and frustrated us with injuries and dumb plays for several years now. It's time to move on. The Celtics don't need this kind of distraction especially in the playoffs.