Looking around at the shooting guard options, it appears that the best option might just be... Ray Allen. It seems that is the conclusion the Celtics came to (perhaps long ago).

Source: Celtics willing to double (in terms of $) Heat offer to Ray Allen. Will give 2 years/$12 million. Heat can offer only $3 mill a yr

— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) July 1, 2012

So now it really is up to Ray Allen and what he wants to do. The Celtics are offering him the most money (more than the MLE that the Griz are said to be offering) and a chance to be on a team that (if all plays out right) could be a contender. Ray might believe that the Heat are a better bet at a Championship and he might really be tired of playing with Rondo, but I have to wonder if both of those rumored motivations are a bit overblown.

Ironically, the Celtics lined up all this cap space to use on potential free agents and now the best free agent options we have are ...Garnett and Ray Allen.

So could we be looking at two more years of the same core? Year's 6 and 7 of a 3 year plan? Could be. Stay tuned.