Ray Allen's Next NBA Stop Should Be with San Antonio Spurs
Not that most San Antonio Spurs fans need reminding, but in the 2013 Finals, the then-Miami Heat shooting guard completed a miraculous Game 6 comeback with a three-pointer that extended the series, which Miami would go on to win.
So, when news broke that the Spurs were interested in Allen, a free agent searching for a home to spend the coda of his career, it initially came as a bit of a shock.
But San Antonio, with one final roster spot to fill, is smart to give Allen ample consideration. A talented player who fits the system, Allen would join a championship roster in search of his third ring with a third team.
With the mutual benefits too glaring to ignore, the Spurs front office should take the next step and extend Allen a contract offer before his services are snatched by a competing contender.
The Player
In 2014, Ray Allen is not the player that he once was.
Long gone are the days where Jesus Shuttlesworth—complete with a unique blend of skill and athleticism—averaged upwards of 25 points for the Seattle Supersonics prior to his move to Boston is 2007. But even during his final years in the league, the 39-year-old Allen has managed to stay relevant.
Though aspects of his game have faded with age, his staple skill—his three-point shot—remains very much intact.
And as Spurs fans know all to well, this makes him very dangerous.
Like San Antonio veteran Tim Duncan, Allen has compensated for any deficiencies brought about by age by maximizing the aspects of his game that are unaffected by declining athleticism.
A sniper from beyond the arc, Allen last averaged 37.5 percent from deep for Miami, with averages of 42, 45 and 44 percent in the three years prior. He can create his own shot, can get open with ease and possesses a quick release that can punish even the most talented defenders.
He's also an above-average passer with a point guard's court vision.
Throw in excellent offensive mechanics from elsewhere on that end, and Allen represents everything that contending teams desire from a veteran role player.
Of course, his defense—though he's never been noted for excellence on that end, his capacity to defend is rapidly declining—is a legitimate reason for worry, but that hasn't stopped championship rosters from utilizing him down the stretch in crucial games.
In short, you're not going to see Jesus Shuttlesworth trotting out onto an NBA court anytime soon.
Instead, you'll see a seasoned veteran who has made the seamless transition to role player in his later years—a position that he has thrived in, thanks in no small part to his everlasting perimeter weapon.
The Fit
Perhaps no NBA team bore more resemblances to the San Antonio Spurs than the Miami Heat squad with whom they clashed in 2013 and 2014.
Both teams boasted superstars at the top, but deep benches overflowing with capable role players.
So, it serves as a good sign that Allen thrived in an atmosphere similar to the one he would enter in San Antonio.
The Spurs play a perimeter-oriented style of basketball that capitalizes off of unparalleled ball movement to create openings along the arc and within the paint. Allen, should he join San Antonio, would find himself beside a supporting cast that has excelled due to lethal three-point shots.
Take Danny Green, for example. The starting shooting guard is inconsistent, but when he's on from deep, San Antonio's offense is borderline unstoppable. The same holds true for other Spurs like Patty Mills and Marco Belinelli.
However, Mills—coming off a breakout year in which he set the tone for one of the league's most successful second units—is set to miss the majority of the regular season with a shoulder injury.
With Manu Ginobili likely facing more minute restrictions than ever before and Boris Diaw eyeing a spot in the starting lineup, the team's top bench sparks might not be able to carry the second unit.
The need for another offensive playmaker has opened up with Mills' injury, and Allen—with his perfect skill set—could not be a better fit.
And beyond his ideal repertoire that would put San Antonio into a prime situation to succeed in the upcoming year, the marriage would have significant long-term benefits as well.
Though other potential roster additions might require a multiyear investment, Allen's retirement is looming. Should he enter a deal with the Spurs, it would likely be for one season, freeing up the contract books for the post-Duncan era in which the franchise will have the necessary funds to rebuild through free agency.
No matter which way you look at it, Allen to the Spurs makes sense. He thrived in a comparable environment in Miami, and his services mesh well with San Antonio's short-term roster needs. Not to mention, he has exhibited a desire to chase championships, so the benefits work both ways.
Though it may be difficult for some to accept Allen in black and silver garment, it's time to forgive, forget and move on. In the battle between Ray Allen and the San Antonio Spurs, the Spurs got the last laugh.
Now, it's time for them to join forces.
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