NBA free agent Ray Allen has refuted reports that he has signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers just yet and while the Cavs are the top option over the Chicago Bulls, Allen has not made a final decision yet and he may not end up joining a team this season after all, although LeBron James has continued to recruit him to sign with the Cavaliers.
According to ESPN.com and Pro Basketball Talk, Allen's reps have said that he has not decided on a team yet and while he has had discussions with the Cavaliers, no deal is signed. The report says that it seems to be Cleveland or no one for Allen and this comes after a number of teams were interested in signing him. The Spurs and Clippers had interest along with the Chicago Bulls, but the pull of LeBron James and the Cavaliers appears to be the hardest for Allen.
Allen has said that he wants to try and win another title and after doing that already with James and being a huge part of it, he could do it again. Allen would fit in nicely with the Cavs, as they have a strong mix of veterans and young players on the roster. The team added Kevin Love in a major trade this offseason and they also signed former teammates Mike Miller and James Jones.
Allen still shoots the three with the best of them and that could be a huge weapon for the Cavaliers this season. The Cavs don't "need" Allen to be a good team this season, but he will add another option off the bench and he also adds a strong three point shooter late in games. Allen hit the biggest three in recent years in that Game 6 matchup between the Spurs and Miami Heat and now James wants him back home with him in Cleveland as he tries to win another title.
Allen said earlier in the summer that he was not retiring and while he may not sign with a team anytime soon, it still looks like he wants to play at some point this season. Many see the Cavaliers as the top option because of his connection to LeBron James, but the Chicago Bulls also could be an attractive landing spot. The Clippers were once in the running, but that looks like it's not an option anymore despite the Doc Rivers connections.
Allen is the top free agent left on the market and now it appears that there is no contest to sign him, but basically just what Ray wants to do. The PBT report cited the fact that Allen may not want to uproot his family from Miami, which is one of the main reasons why he likely has not decided on what to do yet. Allen could stick with the Miami Heat, but it appears that they are not looking to sign him. The Cavaliers are the likely option and Allen has the chance to be there if he wants to.