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"Nothing but trouble"- George Karl didn't think twice before trading Ray Allen in 2003
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- "Nothing but trouble"- George Karl didn't think twice before trading Ray Allen in 2003
Ray Allen has cemented his legacy as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history and a clutch performer on championship teams such as the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat . That said, the 6-foot-5 guard's NBA journey actually began with the Milwaukee Bucks , where he first started building the career that would eventually make him a legend.
The fifth pick in the iconic 1996 draft class, Allen was initially selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves before being traded to Milwaukee. The UConn product wasted no time, displaying his elite athleticism and marksmanship from the get-go, only getting better with the years.
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Forming an elite trio alongside Glenn Robinson and Sam Cassell, the Bucks emerged as a legit contender in the East. A prime example was the 2001 Eastern Conference finals appearance. At the same time, reports of tensions between Allen and coach George Karl began surfacing.
Strangely enough, the player-coach duo had no such issues before the series. According to media reports at the time, some factors behind the cracks in their relationship included poor communication, a lack of cooperation, and a lack of consideration for one another. Things reached a point where Karl convinced the Milwaukee front office to ship Allen to Seattle.
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" Ray Allen was nothing but trouble. We had no choice but to get rid of him," read one of the veteran coach's old statements, referring to the trade that sent Allen to the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for Desmond Mason and Gary Payton.
One of the worst trades in Bucks history
Choosing an aging Payton over a perennial All-Star like Allen raised many doubts. A decision that not only shocked Bucks fans but also Allen himself. Not to mention that The Glove had only one year left on his contract before he turned free agent. Things only became worse.
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The trade proved a blunder for Jark and the management, with the Bucks eliminated in the first round of the 2003 playoffs. Consequently, he was fired. He eventually regretted the decision to trade Allen, realizing the real issue was someone else.
"If I had to look back on it, I think we probably shouldn't have gotten rid of Ray Allen," Karl told ESPN in 2077.
"We had the great run the one year when we made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, a jump-shot away from making it to the NBA Finals, and the next year we signed Anthony Mason to a free agent contract, hoping that would be the piece that would catapult us to a championship … That was probably the piece that didn't fit. The piece that didn't work," the 2013 Coach of the Year added.
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Having said that, the former Bucks player-coach duo has yet to mend the fences, which seems far-fetched.
Ray has no inclination
Today, Allen and Karl have come a long way in their careers, with each having been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Interestingly, the two never really had a face-to-face confrontation about their issues, but it was clear they never got along. Adding to it, neither of them was keen to sort it out.
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Allen once shared why he hasn't spoken to Karl since their fall-out in Milwaukee.
"I don't feel the need to say anything to him. It was clear that he didn't like me. He did what he did to move me on. I can't waste time or energy on people who don't like me," said the two-time champion in 2018.
Hopefully, as time passes, the two can resolve all their conflicts, given that they are both respected names in the NBA. No denying Karl was wrong in his decision-making, but Allen ultimately went on to win two titles in his career, which may or may not have been possible had he stayed in Milwaukee.
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Related: "SLAM was wrong" - Ray Allen explains his issue with the popular hoop magazine
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
