Ray Allen will decide which team to join--if any--within 10 days, according to the latest update on the former All-Star.
Allen is easily the most sought after free agent guard, and is weighing a return to the NBA versus retiring.
The Atlanta Hawks have jumped in the chase for Allen recently. The Eastern Conference leaders have had discussions with Allen representatives, a person familiar with the discussions told the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
But the team that’s been the most persistent in the chase for Allen is the Washington Wizards, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders.
“They’ve been contacting him almost every other week, him or his camp,” Kennedy said. “They’re very interested in bringing him in to bolster their backcourt, they feel like he would really help them out as a shooter.”
The Wizards could have the edge since Paul Pierce, who won a title with Allen in Boston, currently plays for Washington. There’s also an obvious hole that Allen can fill with the team.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, with former Allen teammates including LeBron James; the Golden State Warriors, despite their already vaunted depth; the Chicago Bulls, who also have a lack of backcourt depth; and the Los Angeles Clippers, who could also use another shooting guard, are among the other teams linked to Allen.
Several team executives in contact with Allen’s representatives told Fox Sports Ohio that Allen will decide where he'll play by Thursday, February 19.
The local broadcaster claims that Allen was concerned with the Cavs in late January, when the team looked lost, but that the 13-game winning streak alleviated any worries he has. The executives say Allen is set to make his decision sometime during the All-Star break, which runs for about a week starting on February 13.
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