Posey is Celtics’ top target

For the NBA champion Celtics, free agency begins today with James Posey as the primary focus. Most other personnel matters will be handled after Posey’s situation is settled. One move was made last night when the franchise failed to make Tony Allen a qualifying offer, thus making the guard an unrestricted free agent, according to his agent, Mike Higgins. The arrival of draft picks J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker definitely hurt Allen’s chances to return to Boston.

“Obviously they had some tough decisions to make,” Higgins said late last night. “With the number they’re at [player wise] they couldn’t sign everybody. For the past month, he knew they were either going to make him an offer or they weren’t. He understood.”

The 6-foot-4-inch, 213-pound Allen averaged 6.6 points and 2.2 rebounds last season after missing most of the previous season following left knee surgery.

Carmelo Anthony

Carmelo Kiyan Anthony (born May 29, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a freshman in college, Anthony led Syracuse University to a 30–5 record and the school’s first NCAA championship in men’s basketball. He was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2003 NCAA Final Four and MVP of NCAA East Regional.

He was also named the consensus national Freshman of the Year and was a unanimous choice as the Big East Conference Freshman of the Year. Anthony was selected with the third pick in the 2003 NBA Draft and was named the 2005 Rookie Challenge MVP.

Tony Allen

Anthony Allen (born January 11, 1982 in Chicago, Illinois), commonly referred to as Tony Allen, is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics in the NBA.

A swingman, he can play as a guard or forward.