Which NBA Contender Needs Ray Allen the Most for 2014-15 Season?
All eyes may be on Ray Allen, but that doesn't mean he's going to rush his decision about where—or whether—to play in 2014-15.
"I'm not in any rush [to make a decision]," Allen explained in August, per The Courant's Dom Amore. "I've played 18 years, and the way I look at my career, I'm content with everything that I've done. I just want to take this summer and see how it goes."
After averaging 9.6 points in 26.5 minutes per contest last season, Allen has become one of this summer's hottest commodities—and one of the very few who are still on the market. The 10-time All-Star has been linked to multiple teams, but he's not opening up about his preferences.
He's not even sold on returning for another season, at least not publicly.
If Allen does opt to return, he can chose from a handful of contenders with whom he can chase one more ring.
Here's a look at the title hopefuls that need him the most.
5. San Antonio Spurs
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It wouldn't be the first time Ray Allen adopted an "if you can't beat them, join them" mindset.
That was the operative logic when he ditched the Boston Celtics for the Miami Heat back in 2012. The San Antonio Spurs are hoping a similar inclination will lure the two-time champion to the heart of Texas.
ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports, "Sources told ESPN.com...that the [San Antonio] Spurs and [Los Angeles] Clippers have emerged as two more rivals for the Cavaliers to worry about as Cleveland continues to try to lure Allen away from the Miami Heat."
Neither San Antonio nor Los Angeles is in dire need of another shooting guard. The Spurs can count on Danny Green and Manu Ginobili, while the Clippers have a one-two punch of their own in J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford.
So why might San Antonio make more sense?
It's all about fit.
NBA.com's Fran Blinebury argues, "The team that moves the ball better than anyone else in the NBA would get him more free shots than a guy named Kelly in an Irish bar on St. Paddy's Day. As the Spurs try to win back-to-back championships for the first time ever, the best pure shooter of his era is the perfect weapon to add to their arsenal."
Allen has already become accustomed to a limited role, playing just 26.5 minutes per contest last season with Miami. A similar job description in San Antonio might be worth putting off retirement for at least another year.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
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Ray Allen needs the Cleveland Cavaliers more than they need him.
Now that LeBron James and Kevin Love have taken their talents to a club that already boasted young pieces like Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters, Cleveland has instantly become the Eastern Conference's premier destination—especially for a veteran chasing one more ring.
But despite Allen's ties to LBJ, the 39-year-old is hardly a lock to join the Cavs.
"There's so much speculation about me going to Cleveland," Allen told the Boston Herald's Mark Murphy in August. "I haven't even decided where I will play. Obviously, LeBron and I are great friends, and James Jones and I are really close. But at no point have those two tried to push me in that direction. I haven't had that conversation."
Of course, that doesn't mean such a conversation won't happen.
But Cleveland isn't exactly in desperation mode at this point. Beyond Waiters, the organization has already acquired Mike Miller and James Jones to serve as veteran shooters on the wing. The organization would make room for Allen, but he's far from a necessity.
3. Miami Heat
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Maybe you aren't sold that the Miami Heat remain a legitimate contender without LeBron James, but this club remains far better than the majority of its Eastern Conference competition.
And retaining Ray Allen would go a long way toward keeping Miami in the title conversation.
Even without James, the Heat still boast a solid core of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Luol Deng. But there's a very real need for some depth and continuity—two things Allen would ensure. Though Allen won't solve the team's questionable point guard rotation, he would give head coach Erik Spoelstra a consistent spark off the bench who's known to play a decisive role in clutch scenarios.
The problem will be convincing Allen that the franchise is his best shot at a third title.
As the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson notes, "The Heat would love for Allen to come back but know that’s unlikely."
The organization's only real hope is that Allen values familiarity.
Allen admitted to The Courant's Dom Amore that "I don't want to go into a situation where I don't understand the coaching [or] the direction of the team."
Miami isn't the only team with ties to Allen, but it would certainly assuage his desire for a smooth transition. Unfortunately, that's just about all the club has going for it—at least relatively speaking.
2. Dallas Mavericks
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The Dallas Mavericks have already made significant strides this summer, adding forward Chandler Parsons and center Tyson Chandler to a roster that took the San Antonio Spurs to a seventh game in the opening round of last season's playoffs.
But the rotation's principal weakness is the backcourt's drop-off in talent behind Monta Ellis. With Raymond Felton, Devin Harris and Jameer Nelson scheduled to man the point guard position, a perfect world might even involve Ellis sliding over and handling floor-general duties from time to time.
That would require a competent shooting guard to play alongside him, and that's where Ray Allen enters the equation.
In the same report in which he indicates interest from the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers, ESPN.com's Marc Stein further notes that, "The Dallas Mavericks, sources say, are yet another top Western Conference team to register interest in Allen this summer, and there are believed to be more teams chasing him that have yet to be identified."
After sneaking into the playoffs as an eighth seed last season, Dallas may not strike some as a legitimate contender. Again, though, this organization has had a busy offseason, surrounding franchise cornerstone Dirk Nowitzki with an impressive supporting cast.
Moreover, this team won a championship in 2011, and head coach Rick Carlisle is one of the league's very best.
Mavericks fans have plenty of reason to be optimistic, and adding Allen would significantly bolster those hopes.
1. Chicago Bulls
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After averaging 13.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 38.7 minutes per contest, it's fair to suggest shooting guard Jimmy Butler is coming off a breakout season.
Unfortunately, it was also a season in which he made just 28.3 percent of his 3.6 three-point attempts per game. Butler figures to remain a fixture in head coach Tom Thibodeau's rotation, on account of his exceptional perimeter defense if nothing else.
But the Chicago Bulls could use another shooter on the wing, particularly a veteran with the kind of winning pedigree Ray Allen brings to the table.
Allen made 37.5 percent of his three-point attempts last season and left little doubt that he's still a clutch marksman. So news of Chicago's interest should come as no surprise.
ESPNChicago.com's Nick Friedell reports, "The Chicago Bulls have touched base with the representatives of veteran shooting guard Ray Allen, a league source confirmed Monday."
Bulls.com's Sam Smith had previously noted, "The Bulls are believed to be among almost a dozen teams to have contacted Allen and his representatives. In fact, it would be a surprise if just about every team other than the non-competitive 76ers have not contacted Allen."
Better yet, Allen might actually give the Bulls some consideration. Thibodeau's stint as an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics from 2007 to 2010 overlapped with Allen's five seasons in Beantown.
And Chicago's chances of rivaling the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference make it a desirable destination competitively speaking—as evidenced by Pau Gasol's decision to sign with the club.
Only time will tell if Allen sees it the same way.
