Ray Allen is the top NBA free agent left on the market and the Cleveland Cavaliers appear to be the top option for him over the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards, as LeBron James has been trying to recruit his former teammate to join the Cavs, as they are the favorites in the east for a championship and this comes as Danny Ainge said that Allen could wait until the All-Star break to sign.
Allen came into the offseason with many questioning if he would retire, but after some reports that he would, Allen came out to confirm that he would play this season. According to ESPN.com, a number of teams have shown interest, including the Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Milwaukee Bucks and Washington Wizards. The Bulls and Cavs looked like the best options since Allen is hoping to win another title, but the Wizards and Bucks also made strong pushes.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, Allen could sit out until the All-Star break before signing with a team, as he is an older player and likely wants to be fresh for his entire run if he plays this season. The NBA season is a long one and many realize that regular season games are just a warm-up until the playoffs arrive and that is what Allen could be thinking about. Ainge also added that with new coaches in some places (cough cough in Cleveland with David Blatt), Allen may want to see how things play out with schemes and other issues over the first couple months of the season.
Allen can sign with any team and while the Cavaliers are the top option, there is always a chance the Wizards, Bulls or Bucks step up to try and sign him. According to CBS Sports, the Bucks have made an offer to Allen, but he was not interested in signing with the team since they are rebuilding. Allen previously played for the Bucks back in the day, but he is not looking to do that now. The Cavaliers look the front runners because of James and also because they have the chance to make a run at a championship with Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving and James forming a new Big 3.
Allen could be a very valuable option for a championship team, as he can bring one of the best three point shots to the floor and also because of his experience. The Cavaliers have players with experience as veterans and young players in the mix and once Allen sees how that all meshes, he could be more likely to join up. The Bulls have had issues shooting the three over the past couple seasons and they could add Allen, although they did draft Doug McDermott and he is also a strong three point shooter.
