The offseason is almost over and teams in the NBA will soon head for training camp by the start of October. Ray Allen, however, remains a free agent and several teams are still waiting on his decision regarding his future in basketball.
Among the teams who still maintain interest in Allen are the Washington Wizards who have "periodically" checked in on the the veteran shooter since reaching out to him at the start of free agency in July according to Jorge Castillo, a Wizards Insider of Washington Post:
The Wizards' need for Allen is obvious. Martell Webster, the Wizards' backup shooting guard, is expected to miss some time to start the season after undergoing his third back surgery in four years in late June. Without Webster and the departed Trevor Ariza, the Wizards will begin the year without their two best three-point shooters from last season.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, meanwhile, are willing to make room for Allen even after successfully adding a pair of veteran shooters in Mike Miller and James Jones in their roster this offseason. Allen has yet to decide whether he will play another year but if he does, Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin says that the team is ready for him, per Cleveland.com:
"I think in his case when he decides this is something he's passionate about we are going to be more than willing to let him know how passionate we are about him," Griffin said. "I don't think we would ever give up on it," Griffin said. "Until he signs that is going to be a target for everybody. Ray is somebody that fits us as a shooter. His championship pedigree fits us at a really high level."
While the Washington Wizards and other teams can certainly offer Allen more money and a bigger role, the Cavaliers have been widely considered as the front runner for the veteran shooter's services. The prospect of reuniting with his former Miami Heat teammates in Jones, Miller, and LebRon James has led many to believes that Cleveland will be his home this year.
Ray Allen, the best three-point shooter in the history of the NBA, remains one of the most coveted free agents left on the market heading into the 2014-15 season and the Washington Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers remain very interrested in adding him to their roster if he decides to play another year.
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