NBA Free Agency 2012: Championship Contenders That Desperately Need Ray Allen

One of the greatest players of a generation that also featured the likes of Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett in their primes, Ray Allen will be up for grabs this summer as a free agent.

Allen has been with the Boston Celtics for the past five seasons. He won his first championship in the 2007-'08 season where he averaged 17 points per game and shot 40 percent from beyond the arc. He would help lead the Celtics back to the finals two years later, but with different results. Even in his later years, Allen keeps the Celtics afloat as a championship contender.

Age has played absolutely no factor in Allen's career. At the age of 35, Allen averaged 17 points per game and shot a career-high 44 percent from deep. Wait, it gets better. The very next year at the age of 36, Allen has bested himself by averaging a new career high of 45 percent from deep. He's converting on over two three-pointers per game.

Before being traded to the Celtics, Allen was also a part of the Milwaukee Bucks and Seattle SuperSonics. He averaged as much as 26 points per game, which came in his final season with the Sonics.

Allen is the NBA's all-time leader in three-pointers made after passing Reggie Miller last year. He's eclipsed the record and is now setting the standard to astronomical heights. He currently has 2,718 made three-pointers and is nearly 1,000 three-pointers ahead of the next active player in Jason Kidd, who is set to retire soon.

Allen will become a free agent next year and there's no guarantee on the Celtics keeping him, which means that he'll be up for grabs to the team that either offers him the most money or the most appealing situation. We take a look at championship contenders and how they would improve with Allen on their team.

Chicago Bulls

Give the Chicago Bulls credit. They recognized the weakness that enabled the Miami Heat to defeat them in five games in last year's conference finals and they went out to seek the player that would prevent it from happening again.

What the Bulls needed was a starting 2-guard who could relieve some of the pressure off of Derrick Rose. Former starter Keith Bogans was hardly doing much on the offensive end and it caused opposing defenses to focus more of their attention on Rose. With Derrick being the center of the offense and defenses channeling in, it was obvious that they needed a consistent 2-guard who could provide offense when called upon.

Going after Richard Hamilton would have been a smart move if it was 2006. Unfortunately, it was the winter of 2011 when they signed him. In the two seasons prior to joining the Bulls, Hamilton had endured the two worst years of his career in terms of games played and his shooting percentage. Respectively, he played in 46 and 55 games, and had shot 41 percent, the lowest of his career, and 43 percent, the third lowest.

Nevertheless, the Bulls signed him and they are now feeling the effects of signing a 33-year-old who is coming off of two injury-plagued seasons. Hamilton is averaging 12 points on 45 percent shooting, which would be fine statistics if he didn't only play in 23 games this season. The Bulls are still playing extremely well with Hamilton on the bench, but he needs to be healthy if this team wants to beat Miami.

For now, the Bulls are going to have to rely on Hamilton. However, they could find themselves a different shooting guard next season if they end up making a big splash by signing Ray Allen. Not only would you add a perimeter sharpshooter who has remained healthy and has had the best shooting years of his career in the past two seasons, but you'd also create the most feared backcourt in the league.

Derrick Rose and Ray Allen at the 1 and 2. I'll give you a few seconds to think about the possibility of that before moving on.

The Bulls have a sharpshooter in Kyle Korver off the bench, but could still use one in the starting lineup. They're only 17th in three-point makes per with Korver as the leading shooter. Luol Deng is the best three-point shooter in the starting lineup shooting 37 percent from deep. Hamilton is shooting 35 percent in limited appearances and Rose is a distant third at 32 percent.

If the money is right, the Bulls could very well have the most dangerous and volatile backcourt in the NBA. It's just up to the organization on how much they appreciate "Rip."

Dallas Mavericks

It's going to be a busy offseason for the Dallas Mavericks.

This team has big plans. I'm talking Pat Riley plans. There was a reason why they allowed Tyson Chandler, Caron Butler and J.J. Barea to walk without any resistance. Even though they had just won an NBA championship, the Mavericks organization was already looking forward to how they could win a few more.

The Mavericks are looking to add either Deron Williams or Steve Nash. They freed up a lot of cap space by allowing Chandler, Butler and Barea to walk and will be looking to add one of the NBA's top point guards. With Jason Kidd's days in the NBA being numbered, the Mavericks could either give up the reins to Rodrigue Beaubois or make a big splash by signing either of those aforementioned All-Stars.

Before then, however, they could get a cheaper option while also fulfilling a need by picking up Ray Allen to start at the 2.

The production of the shooting guard position has been up and down all year. Terry off the bench has been incredible shooting 38 percent, but Vince Carter, who will be 36 next season, is averaging only 10 points on 41 percent shooting and Delonte West hardly has the appeal of a starter on a championship team.

What the Mavericks need is another player who could add another weapon to the offense. While Allen may just be perceived as a backup plan to the Mavericks when you look at their primary hopeful signings, he could be the most plausible and sensible signing. Williams and Nash both have ties to Dallas, but it'll take a lot to pry them away from their cities.

All I'm saying is to not put all your eggs in one basket. Nash or Williams would be huge, but Allen would be just as special. He'll come at a cheaper price than Williams and he addresses a hole in the starting lineup. Nash would be a tremendous pickup for the Mavericks, but the team doesn't have a big man who can run the pick-and-roll which limits Steve's opportunities on passes.

With Allen on the team, you greatly improve that current ranking of 20th in three-point percentage. You also find yourself with one of the league's top three-point shooters starting at the 2 and taking some pressure off Dirk Nowitzki.

Miami Heat

"But, John, the Miami Heat already have a starting shooting guard!"

They sure do, Joe Reader. Of course we know the Heat have one of the league's best starting 2-guards in Dwyane Wade, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to have Ray Allen coming off the bench.

Allen is a true professional, which would make a transition from a starter's role to a role off the bench easier for the entire organization. With Allen coming off the bench, the Heat finally find a healthy, consistent three-point threat who can hit shots when called upon, stretch the floor and provide some much-needed support for the big three. He may come off the bench to start, but he would be playing late when the team moves LeBron James to the 1.

Not to mention that you add another clutch player, as if there weren't enough players that hit pressure shots already.

Allen is the king of three-pointers in general. He can hit when he's hot, when he's cold and at the beginning and at the end of games. He can be wide-open or he can be contested by multiple defenders, Allen is as pure of a shooter as they come and would make this Heat team nearly unstoppable. I know we've talked about this team being unstoppable in the past, but adding a healthy Ray Allen truly does make this team nearly unbeatable.

When you have Dwyane Wade and LeBron James driving at will, Chris Bosh utilizing his versatility and possibly Ray Allen hitting three-pointers, the Heat become too multidimensional to contain. It's difficult as it is to defend this team with just two of those players. Having Allen come off the bench would not be fair and it's probably a good thing that this won't happen.

Sorry, Heat fans, but the possibility of Miami adding Ray Allen is slim to none. They already have a lot of faith in Mike Miller, especially after keeping him around despite the recovery from surgery at the beginning of the season, wouldn't be able to offer nearly as much as money as other teams contending for Allen's services and can't guarantee a starting job.

Sometimes having talented players on your side isn't enough to convince free agents to join your team.

New York Knicks

"But, John, how can you even consider the New York Knicks a contender when they're barely in the playoffs?"

You raise another interesting point, person I just made up.

Even though the Knicks are a No. 7 seed who will probably get knocked out of the first round by the Miami Heat, this team still has the potential and the capability of being extremely dangerous. The pieces aren't fitting together at the moment, but all it takes is a few solid outings together to get on the right track. Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire are two incredible players and they will do whatever it takes to win.

They didn't leave Denver and Phoenix just for stats or the glitz and glamor of New York. They joined the Knicks to win a championship. Unfortunately, it hasn't been as easy as they expected. It turns out that throwing a whole bunch of talented players on the same team isn't immediately going to win. It takes so much more than that. It takes teamwork, cohesion, chemistry and a goal at the end to pursue.

Allen would be the perfect figure not only on the court, but in the locker room as well. As I stated before, Allen is a true professional who has never been in the headlines for the wrong reasons. He keeps a calm and cool demeanor at all times, and is the silent assassin. He has the emotions of Tim Duncan, but the game of Reggie Miller; a perfect blend.

Ray knows how to win games. He may have only won one title, but he's been a part of many successful Milwaukee and Seattle teams in his earlier years. He knows how to get open, how to find a significant role in any type of offense and the ability to fit in no matter who his teammates are. He would be a perfect fit for a team that features two superstars who are struggling when it comes to playing together.

Because they signed Tyson Chandler to a ridiculous contract and are also giving just as much money to Stoudemire and Anthony, signing Ray Allen is going to be tough. The Knicks do have the advantage of giving Allen a starting job, however, as the 2 is currently occupied by the likes of rookie Iman Shumpert and second-year Landry Fields.

The Knicks have the pieces to make a title run. Allen could be the missing pieces that puts this whole picture together.