Ray Allen has told people close to him that he will play in the NBA next season instead of retiring, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
While the Cleveland Cavaliers are the frontrunner for Allen, the source said the 10-time All-Star has not completely decided where he will play. Cleveland is the favorite due to the return of LeBron James, with whom Allen played with on the Miami Heat the past two seasons. …
At 39 years old, Allen’s goal is to win a third NBA championship so he will only consider playing for title contenders. It is not clear what other clubs are on Allen’s radar, but nearly every contender would be interested in adding him to its roster.
The Cavaliers would indeed seem to be the obvious choice, considering the team’s ability to contend for a title with LeBron (and soon Kevin Love) already in place. Mike Miller and James Jones have also signed in Cleveland for next season, making the familiarity factor even stronger should Allen decide that Cleveland is his best option.
There will likely be other suitors, however, and Allen will undoubtedly weigh all of his options carefully before committing to a destination to play his 19th NBA season.
Allen averaged a career-low 9.6 points per game with the Heat last season, and shot just 37.5 percent from three-point distance — the worst in any of his past four seasons.
But there’s no questioning his clutch credentials, and Allen is a consummate professional who would be a fantastic addition to any team with championship aspirations.