It’s nearly time for Ray Allen to lace up again, and the long-rumored frontrunner is the favorite for his services. According to ESPN’s Ryen Russillo, Allen has instructed suitors to contact him in January and the Cleveland Cavaliers remain the future Hall-of-Famer’s most likely destination.
Hearing Ray Allen is telling teams "talk to me in January" will make a decision in February. Cavs still the favorite.
— Russillo (@ryenarussillo) December 5, 2014
This report aligns with the most recent news surrounding Allen’s return to the floor, in addition to long-held conventional wisdom.
The 39 year-old told the Hartford Courant in late October that he’d “watch how the season progresses” before making a decision on his playing future. The Cavaliers have been considered the team to beat for Allen since LeBron James announced his homecoming this summer, too.
How Allen would fit in to Cleveland’s evolving rotation is unclear. He’d certainly be a fixture of late-game lineups, but would the league’s all-time leader in made three-pointers play a significant role on a game-by-game basis? With Dion Waiters’ playing time fluctuating, Mike Miller notching DNP-CDs followed by major minutes, and rookie Joe Harris seemingly entrenched as a defensive option off the bench it’s very hard to tell.
But a championship is surely what Allen wants most, and his relationship with James – and Miller and James Jones, actually – would surely make his transition to the Cavaliers easier than most other squads.
Nothing is imminent. Allen’s rumor mill has been spinning for months. Obviously, though, this report is certainly something to keep an eye on as January approaches.
What do you think?
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