Miami Heat: Is A Ray Allen Return Imminent?

Sometimes, in order to build a strong future, you might need to look to the past. For the Miami Heat, a return to their former status as NBA title contenders could be boosted by a reunion with veteran guard Ray Allen.

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Following Miami’s poor showing in the 2014 NBA Finals, Allen weighed a return to the NBA. Rumors regularly swirled that he would join LeBron James and other former Heat teammates in Cleveland.

He was also linked to a number of playoff-caliber squads (among them Washington, San Antonio and the Clippers) as many hoped he’d be a key addition that might cement a team’s championship aspirations.

Instead, he anticlimactically chose to sit out the entire 2014-15 season.

Allen has never formally retired, nor has he given any indication of where — or if — he might play again. But recent photos with former Heat teammates indicate that ties to the franchise are still strong.

Jun 16, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (1) and small forward LeBron James (6) and shooting guard Ray Allen (34) and shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) react during the fourth quarter of game five in the 2013 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

Moreover, rejoining the team with which he won a title in 2013 makes more sense that you realize.

The Heat need quality depth in the backcourt. When Dwyane Wade missed several games due to injury prior to the All-Star break, there was a significant drop-off in production. Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra tried to fill the gap with different players, including Mario Chalmers, Shabazz Napier and Tyler Johnson.

But none could come close to the providing the same level of consistent scoring as Wade.

It was this weakness that led, at least in part, to the midseason acquisition of Goran Dragic from the Phoenix Suns. Once Wade returned to the lineup, pairing him with Dragic would send the trio of Chalmers, Napier and Johnson back to a more deserving reserve role.

And while Chalmers in particular had shown some promise as a backup to Wade, adding Allen to the fold would undoubtedly be an upgrade.

The first step for Miami is to re-sign Dragic, a free agent, back for next season. Reports indicate that Dragic is eager to stay with the Heat and team president Pat Riley has made it a key priority this summer.

That would allow Chalmers to slide back into his familiar role as a point guard (albeit as a backup) if the team were to sign Allen, who would be slated to back up Wade just as he did in the 2013-14 season.

Allen would, in addition to his otherworldly perimeter shooting, provide incredible veteran leadership to young players like Napier (like Allen, a University of Connecticut alum) and Johnson.

Some would scoff at the suggestion that Allen would consider joining Miami. The commonly-held belief is that he is interested in only joining a true title contender and the Heat, though poised to improve, might not fit that description. But that belief has never confirmed or stated by Allen himself.

It could be that a return to Miami, alongside friends and a coaching staff that have worked well with him, might be all he’s really looking for.

There are also doubts that the 39-year Allen is equipped handle life in the league after an 18-year career. No one knows for sure (there’s always the chance that joining any team might be a failed experiment) but if he’s committed to a return, the obsessive Allen will certainly do whatever’s necessary to play at a high level.

He still stays in incredible shape, and follows a strict diet and workout regimen that players half his age couldn’t maintain.

In the end, there’s nothing but speculation regarding what Allen’s next steps will be. They might lead to Miami, Cleveland or, perhaps, to continuing a well-deserved retirement.

But should he elect to play in the NBA again, rejoining Miami makes sense in many ways.

And if he doesn’t, well then there will always be fond memories of Allen in a Heat uniform for South Florida fans to keep in mind.

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