Ray Allen finally announced his retirement after two seasons since his last NBA game.
He had offers all the way up until the end, but did he ever come close to accepting one after his Heat contract expired?
What was the right situation for Allen? He explained it was a combination of factors: offer, playing time, ability to help a team compete for a championship, playing for a coach who didn’t wear players out through grinding practices and family considerations.
Houston made an enticing offer in 2014, Allen said. But the deal – the full mid-level exception according to a person familiar with the situation – wasn’t enough to lure him into another season.
Allen doesn’t outright say the Rockets made the most enticing offer, but they are singled out here. Maybe I’m incorrectly assuming, but I’m inferring this one stood out.
That Houston team won 56 games and reached the Western Conference finals. Could Allen have put the Rockets over the top? He would’ve offered an intriguing contrast on the wing to Corey Brewer, who made just 29% of his 3-pointers in the playoffs. Allen might have even pushed James Harden to point guard sooner – a tweak that is paying big dividends this season.
