NBA Rumors: Ranking Best Possible Landing Spots for Ray Allen

Ray Allen will be 37 by the time next season begins, but that won't stop the veteran guard from becoming one of the most coveted players on the free agent market. He enjoyed another solid shooting season for the Boston Celtics prior to some playoff struggles.

Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York reports there will be no shortage of contenders looking at Allen during the offseason. Along with the Celtics, the Miami Heat, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers are among the teams with rumored interest.

Knowing that, let's rank the top three potential landing spots for the sharpshooter.

1. Miami Heat

If Allen's main goal is winning a championship, the Heat are by far his best option. Miami already has a great chance to capture a title this season and would become exponentially more dangerous with a perimeter threat like Allen.

Joining a team with three other superstars would also take a boatload of pressure off his shoulders. Allen was always expected to be one of the main options with the Celtics, but with the Heat, he would just be a piece of the puzzle.

While he's no longer the dynamic offensive threat he was during his prime, Allen has enough left in the tank to fill one of the Heat's only weaknesses. That might be too much for him to pass up.

2. Boston Celtics

Should Allen decide the pageantry of South Beach isn't his style, his next best choice would be returning to the Celtics. They were able to push the Heat to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals and should be a threat once again next season.

The trio of Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett have always seemed like a perfect fit for each other. They all play different roles, so nobody has to worry about their toes getting stepped on, and their main focus is winning, not any of the outside interests.

Even though he struggled to find his shooting stroke in the postseason, he has done enough for the Celtics that the diehard fans would welcome him back with open arms.

3. Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers made major strides during the team's first season with elite point guard Chris Paul running the show. They are still a couple of pieces away from making a run at the Western Conference title, however. Allen would fill one of those voids.

Paul and Blake Griffin give Los Angeles the young inside-outside combination most teams can only dream about. A top-tier outside shooter like Allen, who would help stretch the defense, would really help both Paul and Griffin on the offensive end.

The only reason the Clippers aren't higher on the list is their ability to win a championship. Even with Allen, they would likely fall a little bit short in terms of talent. So they might need to make another move before Allen commits.