BOSTON — The details of the NBA’s new collective bargaining deal have yet to be ratified and some issues still remain. But what is at least known is there will be more restrictions on the higher-spending teams.

That means the Celtics will have to thread a marketplace needle as they try to fashion a workable roster around their Big Four.

While things won’t be as tight as the NBA was proposing as recently as last week, there is still a great unknown in the Celts competing with other teams for the same free agents. Even if their offer is better than or equal to that of another club, the team president, Danny Ainge, may still not get his man.

And in a year that is widely considered to be the last hurrah for the veteran trio of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett – at least in the same place – there is pressure to extract as much from 2011-12 as possible.

By all accounts the Celtics will look quite different when they arrive for training camp next autumn. And even if Allen and Garnett come back on short deals after their contracts expire in 2012, the team will have to lean more on others.

Yet Allen is undeterred by the obstacles that face his club in the next few weeks and beyond regarding putting a proper group together.

“I’m not concerned,” Allen said. “I have faith in the organization and in (Ainge). For the last four years he’s put together a team that could contend for the championship and be one of the best teams in the league.”

Allen further figures the Celtics situation will be mitigated because they won’t be alone in the boat. “It’s going to be leaguewide,” he said. “Every team is going to be facing the same problems or challenges.”

Besides, Allen believes he and his teammates have enough pressing personal responsibilities without concerning themselves with the work duties of others in the organization.

“The important thing for us during the time off is that we as players need to keep ourselves ready and stay in shape,” Allen said, with a nod toward the fact training camp isn’t expected to open until Dec. 9. “I think it’s important that we’re not gallivanting around the world. We have to be ready for when we start playing.”

When the games do begin, observers will be checking for backlash. Under the best-case scenario, the NBA will be losing 16 games from its regular season, and the spectacle of owners and players haggling about millions of dollars in a down economy has created animosity in some sporting fan circles.

But Allen has generally been spared those discouraging words.

“I’ve heard positive things,” he said. “I hear it everywhere I go. People miss the Celtics. They miss the NBA.”

There was even a special plea from Red Sox free agent David Ortiz.

“Papi was at my house for Halloween,” said Allen, “and he was like, ‘What’s going on, bro? I need basketball. I don’t golf or anything like that. I love basketball. I need it back.’

“That’s what I’m getting from people out there.”

 

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