Free agent Ray Allen left his meeting with the Miami Heat on Thursday night without giving them an answer on their contract offer and is torn on whether to leave the Boston Celtics, sources told ESPN.com on Friday.
Allen
had an afternoon meeting with Heat president Pat Riley and coach Erik
Spoelstra and then went to dinner with them and other members of the
team's front office. The Heat offered Allen their mid-level exception,
which starts at $3.09 million per season-- or half of the Celtics' offer
of $6 million per year over two years.
The most the Heat could offer is three years and $9.5 million.
The sources did not go into specifics, saying Allen is torn because remaining a Celtic is still very much an option.
Heat stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade
have recruited Allen. Riley and Spoelstra were believed to have
presented a plan where Allen would have a major role in the offense
playing alongside them and Chris Bosh.
The Heat are hoping that the offer entices Allen to leave money on the
table and end his five-year partnership with Celtics stars Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.
The
Celtics, sources said, have their own plan for incorporating Allen into
a different role that includes playing him alongside Jason Terry,
who committed to sign with the Celtics earlier this week. The Boston
Herald reported that Boston also has offered to include a no-trade
clause in Allen's contract, something the Heat cannot offer.
Meanwhile, according to reports, the Heat will meet with free agents Rashard Lewis and Marcus Camby over the weekend.