Celtics president Danny Ainge says the decision to keep the team together this offseason was made as much by the players as himself.

Ray Allen re-signed for two years, then Paul Pierce agreed to a four-year pact. Soon after, Nate Robinson and Marquis Daniels returned.

"I think that the more important thing is that they themselves want another crack at it," said Ainge.

"Ray and Paul and Marquis and Nate, those guys all had opportunities to do other things. They all had other teams that had interest in them and they all chose to want to come back. Doc [Rivers] had other things he could have done, but everybody chose to come back. It's not just about what I want or what [owners] Wyc [Grousbeck] and Steve [Pagliuca] want, it's about what they want, too. And I think that that's what's the most intriguing part about it, or exciting part."