Ray Allen needs to, you know, make a damn decision already.
Retire or sign on for a 19th NBA season. Do something. Anything. And whatever you’re going to do, do it soon.
This isn’t how he should be going out. Never mind that if he does, in fact, retire, he’ll be depriving fans and peers the opportunity to bid him a worthy farewell. Even though it’s always been a possibility, it’s never been a certainty. And unless you know Player X is leaving upon season’s end, it’s difficult to find closure. Retire now, and Allen is Player X. There won’t be a proper sendoff, the kind given to players who have long since decided this is it.
But that’s negligent compared to everything else in this situation. Not knowing this past season was Allen’s last is something we’ll all lament and then come to terms with. This ongoing charade is something we won’t soon forget, though.
In recent months, Allen has been linked to a variety of teams, chief among them being the Cleveland Cavaliers. Other rumored organizations included the Los Angeles Clippers (since refuted), Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs. Yet still, there has been nothing.
Weeks away from opening tip, Allen still hasn’t made a decision. Instead, the general public has been treated to a rumor-mill tug-of-war. Most recently there were reports that alleged Allen had signed with Cavs.
Cleveland beat writer Glenn Moore tweeted the following:
Earlier reports of Ray Allen signing with Cavaliers are true. Done deal. #NBA
— Glenn Moore (@GlennMooreCLE) October 7, 2014
Not long after, ESPN.com’s Marc Stein pumped the brakes on any confetti-casting and cheerful caroling:
Think a lot of us expect Ray Allen to wind up in Cleveland but early word this AM is that talk of a commitment or signing TODAY is premature
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) October 7, 2014
Basketball Insiders’ Alex Kennedy added some gems of his own as well:
I asked a source close to the situation if Ray Allen has decided to sign with the Cavaliers, as has been reported. Source responded: "NO."
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) October 7, 2014
It's still possible that Ray Allen will sign with CLE at some point, but the source (who's very close to the situation) says no decision yet
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) October 7, 2014
It wasn’t true. We get it. Unfortunately, we’re used to it. Inaccurate and/or completely fabricated rumors crop up frequently these days, like weeds in a garden. Or weed in Denver. That’s beyond Allen’s control–unless it’s his camp that’s inexplicably perpetuating such bullshit.
But Allen does have control over his decision—you know the one he should have made already, and the one that’s kind of already been made for him: He’s coming back. He has to be. No way, no how does the second-greatest shooter in NBA history—you’re welcome Stephen Curry—hang up his kicks in a haze of rampant hearsay, baseless chatter and a mulling period so long, it feels like he’s tacitly admitting he’s too scared to walk away for good now.
Declaring retirement at this point only confuses the hell out of everyone. What were you waiting for that it’s taken until October? The landscape hasn’t changed since LeBron James made his free-agent decision. The options set before Allen are the same ones that were staring him in the face then.
Mitigating, family-related circumstances can certainly impact and prolong the process, but Allen has basically gone dark and almost completely silent. If he retires now, that, among other things, is what we’ll remember: The waiting. The speculating. The rumors. The bittersweet process that was mostly bitter.
Go out like that? Allen? Nah.
Rumors are, again, beyond his control. Ending his career on his own terms is not. Play one more year. Hell, play two. Strive for three. Just don’t go out now.
Not you.
Not like this.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
