Ray Allen has yet to officially retire from the NBA, and the Miami Heat have taken this as a sign that they shouldn’t stop trying to sign him.
From the Miami Herald‘s Ethan Skolnick (h/t RealGM):
Why doesn’t the Heat reach out to all-time three-point leader, and Miami resident, Ray Allen?
Well, the Heat has.
Multiple times.
Through multiple channels.
According to several sources, the Heat has not only had a standing offer to Allen to return to the team ever since the 2014 offseason, but it made additional overtures as recently as this summer.
Allen last played for the Heat during the 2013-14 season, when he was, according to Skolnick, frustrated by his role. It seems unlikely that he would return now, with the Heat enduring a miniature implosion and fielding a broken offense with little spacing. They are not a threat to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ throne, and Allen, who hasn’t played in an NBA game since June 2014, isn’t going to push them over the top.
You have to wonder if Allen, a lifetime 40 percent shooter from beyond the arc, would consider returning at all. The San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors would have to grab his attention if they came calling, but they have no reason to come calling.
Signing with LeBron James in Cleveland would be a logical fit for a Cavs team that is about to run Kevin Love at the elbows more, but it might be tough for Allen to find playing time with Matthew Dellavedova, Kyrie Irving, Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith, as well as Mo Williams, all in need of playing time. The Los Angeles Clippers’ bench still sucks and could use Allen’s shooting, but he didn’t leave the Boston Celtics and Doc Rivers on the best of terms.
It’s more likely Allen sits out through this season and, assuming the Spurs or Warriors or Cavs don’t have a pressing need over the offseason, eventually settles into permanent retirement—maybe not the kind that entails an official announcement, but the type that doesn’t include random overtures from teams in desperate need of shooting.
