Ray Allen was linked to the Warriors earlier this offseason, but nothing ever happened on that front.
Allen has now added the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks to his possible destinations, and said he has personally spoken with each organization about returning to the NBA with them next season.
Allen is one of the best shooters in NBA history, but hasn’t played since 2014. The Warriors looked like they had their chance to bring him aboard earlier this offseason, but their projected roster for the Warriors next season is starting to become more clear, and there’s not much room for Allen.
It’s looking like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Zaza Pachulia, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, David West, Anderson Varejao, Damian Jones, Kevon Looney, Ian Clark, James Michael McAdoo, and Patrick McCaw will make the 15 man roster, and depending on how JaVale McGee does in training camp, that last spot is seemingly reserved for him.
Earlier in the offseason, Ray Allen was mulling an NBA comeback and had listed a few teams that he’d be interested in playing for. The Warriors were one of the short list of teams that was limited to championship contenders.
Nothing materialized between Allen and the Warriors, and their roster looks pretty set as of now. While it would have been nice for the all-time 3-point field goals leader to play alongside the Splash Brothers and be coached by the guy with the highest career 3-point percentage, it doesn’t look like it’s meant to be.
That doesn’t mean that Allen is giving up on his comeback attempt, though. He’s actually just expanding his options.
He told the Hartford Courant that he has recently spoken with the Celtics and Bucks about an NBA comeback. They were two franchises that Allen had multiple All Star appearances with, and won a championship in Boston in 2008.
Originally, Allen limited his options to the Warriors, Cavaliers, Spurs, and Clippers. The Celtics and Bucks aren’t necessarily championship contenders, but Allen said that he’s not chasing a title.
“It doesn’t necessarily have to be championship-or-bust for me to go back to the NBA,” said Allen.
This isn’t a case of trying to salvage a legacy with a championship. Allen has multiple titles, and doesn’t seem to have anything left to prove after a legendary career.
He sounds like he still has an insatiable passion for the game, and wants to hold on for as long as he possibly can before it’s physically impossible for him to play at the highest level.
The New York Knicks are also theoretically a possibility, but only because superfan Spike Lee has been texting Allen trying to bring him to New York.
Lee directed Allen in “He Got Game,” and while Lee is a staple of Knicks games, it’s hard to believe he has any control over player personnel.
The Lakers love Jack Nicholson, too, but they probably don’t seek him out for free agent advice.
If Phil Jackson starts texting with Allen, maybe that New York possibility is more valid. For now, it’s simply Lee talking to an old friend about his favorite team.
The Warriors ship looks like it has sailed for Allen, but here’s hoping he gets one last chance to log some NBA minutes with another team.
Shooting doesn’t deteriorate with age, and Allen is still more than capable of hitting some perimeter jumpers for a team.