NBA Roundup: Rivers takes blame, Hornet to sign Mason Jr
-- If you follow the pointed fingers, Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers said it's him whose the last one standing for those tracing back the reasons for Ray Allen's departure from the team.
Allen signed a two-year contract to come off the bench for the Miami Heat rather than return to the Celtics. Rivers told Yahoo Sports that it was the coach's decision to put the ball -- and the offense -- in the hands of point guard Rajon Rondo that pushed Allen out of Boston.
"People can use all the Rondo stuff -- and it was there, no doubt about that -- but it was me more than Rondo," said Rivers. "I'm the guy who gave Rondo the ball. I'm the guy who decided that Rondo needed to be more of the leader of the team. That doesn't mean guys liked that -- and Ray did not love that -- because Rondo now had the ball all the time."
The Celtics replaced Allen with another player who likes to have the ball in his hands -- and shoot the 3 -- in sixth man Jason Terry, who excelled in his role providing instant offense to the Dallas Mavericks off the bench. Rivers didn't believe Allen ever became comfortable not starting.
"The conclusion I came back to was this: By doing the right things, we may have lost Ray," said Rivers. "If I hadn't done that, I would've been a hypocrite. In the opening speech I make every year, I tell the team: 'Every decision I make is going to be what's good for the team, and it may not be what's good for the individual.'"
-- The New Orleans Hornets reportedly have agreed to terms with unrestricted free-agent guard Roger Mason Jr.
Terms of the deal were not available, but Yahoo!Sports and the New Orleans Times-Picayune both reported the contract agreement, citing league sources.
Mason, 31, played for the Washington Wizards last season, averaging 5.5 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.
The University of Virginia product has played for five teams during the past nine seasons, averaging 7.2 points a game during his career.
