-- Ray Allen is in the final year of his five-year, $85 million contract, but if he has his way, the 34-year-old sharpshooter will be with the Celtics next year.

In fact, Allen said that he would like to retire as a Celtic.

"I would like to be here," Allen said after practice on Tuesday. "There's no need for me to be any other place. I would love to retire with this organization. That's my whole goal."
Allen is past his prime, but he has taken good care of his body, and "the one thing I can say is that I'm in great shape," he said. "I never really feel winded when I'm on the floor."

Allen is making $18.8 million this year but he said that he would take less money to remain with the Celtics next year.

"I think at this point, what I'm making now, I made a great living over the course of my career, I know going into next year, whatever I sign, I'm not going to be making what I'm making now," Allen said. "I know that."

Allen is averaging the second-lowest points per game of his career this season, 15.9, and he's making a career-low 34.5 percent of his 3-point shots.

But there is no question that Allen is still a good player. In fact, one of the latest trade rumors involves the Golden State Warriors showing interest in obtaining Allen by giving the Celtics guard Monta Ellis (26.1 points, 5.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds) and, perhaps, Vladimir Radmonovic (6.7 points, 4.8 rebounds), which would shed of them of their two highest contracts.

But Celtics coach Doc Rivers said that he doesn't see a move happening, and that the Celtics don't need to make a move before the Feb. 19 trade deadline in order to be successful in the playoffs this year.

"I like our team," Rivers said. "I'd be willing to go into the playoffs exactly the way we are right now. If we can improve then we improve and that would be great too but if we started the playoffs with the 12 guys or however many guys we have and everybody is healthy, I love our team."

Allen said that he doesn't get worried when he hears his name pop up in trade rumors.

"I can't say I get worried because it's not like they're saying, `Well you have to move to Mars,'" Allen said. "You have to move somewhere. I don't look at it like that. Obviously I would go somewhere else and play. I've been there before. I've been there in a situation where I wasn't expected to be traded and then I was traded but I don't worry about it."

Allen said that his biggest concern about being traded is the fact that he would have to move his family to a different city. But he hopes that won't happen until after he retires.

"I want to be here," Allen said. "This team has proven over decades to be a winner, one of the best in sports. That's what this organization plans on doing, they're committed to [winning] and that's why I want to be a part of it."