Skip to main content

Sources: Heat want Ray Allen - ESPN

Updated: June 30, 2012, 11:14 AM ET

By Brian Windhorst | ESPN.com

If the Miami Heat have it their way, they'll have a commitment from Ray Allen within hours of Sunday's start of free agency. The longer the process plays out, the less it may favor them.

The Heat, according to sources, have made Allen their prime offseason target and will pursue him strongly when free agency opens Sunday at 12:01 a.m. ET.

More on the Celtics

Keep on top of the Green throughout the season with ESPNBoston.com's Chris Forsberg. Blog

• Send Chris a question

They intend to offer him their $3 million mini-mid-level exception, a chance to win another title and significant playing time as they continue with the plan to play LeBron James as a power forward in the future. Heat players, including James and Dwyane Wade, have been publicly and privately recruiting Allen over the last month.

"We've got five or six guys earmarked (in free agency) so we'll see how it goes," Heat president Pat Riley said. "We want to find as much space as we can on the floor for Dwyane, LeBron and for Chris (Bosh) to be able to operate."

The team would prefer to swoop in and secure his services quickly for several reasons. The Heat cannot win a bidding war for Allen, so they're hoping the chance to play on a contender will make up for the below market value offer. Also they want to grab Allen before other suitors get their free-agent houses in order.

All Miami has to offer is that $3 million exception, a steep pay cut from the $10 million Allen earned last year. The Boston Celtics, who have cap space and Allen's Bird rights, could pay him significantly more. Yahoo! Sports recently reported the Phoenix Suns are expected to chase Allen and they could have more than $20 million in cap space. There will be other contenders as well.

Allen may want to wait and see how things play out. Multiple media outlets reported Saturday that Kevin Garnett is planning to return to the Celtics. However, the Celtics may need to deal with other free agents including Jeff Green before they see what they can offer Allen.

The Suns have to make a decision on what to do with Steve Nash before getting an offer together for Allen.

Allen could also wait to see where stars Deron Williams and Dwight Howard end up before making a final decision on where he might want to play. All of which has the Heat interested in moving as quickly as possible.

The Heat did handle some other free agent business over the weekend. Center Ronny Turiaf, who signed with the team in March, elected not to pick up his $1.1 million player option for next season by Saturday's deadline. He will be an unrestricted free agent. He played in 13 regular season games, averaging 3.5 points and 4.5 rebounds, and 12 playoff games, averaging 1.9 points and 2.6 rebounds, for the team.

"The option was an insurance policy in case he got hurt," agent Mark Bartelstein said. "He's interested in coming back but not at the minimum salary."

Brian Windhorst

ESPN.com
  • ESPN.com NBA writer since 2010
  • Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years
  • Author of two books

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Happened to the Rivalry Between LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony? - Bleacher Report

They were two young stars with unique and special abilities on the basketball court. They had recently played in a high-attention scholastic contest against each other. They were both selected in the same draft. The LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony rivalry was supposed to be the best individual rivalry since Magic and Bird. But while the relationship between Bird and Johnson is dramatized in a new Broadway play , Anthony and James will meet for the 15th time in their careers and do so without much fanfare. James and Anthony first met in a USA developmental camp in 2001 . Much like how Johnson raved about Bird after they played together on a college All-Star team playing in an international tournament, James couldn’t stop talking about Anthony. The two squared off in a high school showcase game the following year that pitted the player regarded as the best senior in the country (Anthony) against the one that was the best junior in the country (James), a game Anthony’s team wo...
Post a Comment
Read more

NBA Monday Morning Shootaround: LeBron James, The Hunger Games, and More - Bleacher Report

Welcome to the "Monday Morning Shootaround," Bleacher Report's recap of the weekend that was in the NBA. Along with getting you caught up on the weekend’s playoff action, we’ll give you a sneak preview of what could potentially be the greatest basketball book of all time, show you the best 70-year-old playground superstar ever, and tell you about a young star that just might choose religion over the fame and fortune of the NBA. The Opening Tip * ABC cameras caught LeBron James reading The Hunger Games before the Miami Heat played the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. Shortly thereafter, the Miami Heat small forward proceeded to go into full Katniss Everdeen mode to the tune of 40 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists as the Heat pulled out a hard-fought 101-93 victory. After a slow start, Heat guard Dwyane Wade finished with 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists of his own. But Sunday afternoon was all about James and his gaudy numbers, virtually all of which we...
Post a Comment
Read more

Breaking Down the Differences Between LeBron James and Kevin Durant - Bleacher Report

LeBron James and Kevin Durant are being coined as "the future of the NBA 's next generation." That is certainly true, but they aren't exactly on the same level. LeBron and Durant are two different players, who bring varying skills to different facets of the game. Instead of just comparing them in a "who's the best" fashion, let's take a minute and break down which player excels in each and every facet of the game of basketball. Ahead is a breakdown of the differences that exist between LeBron and Durant.  Scoring Ronald Martinez/Getty Images LeBron 2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 27.1 points, 53.1 FG%, 36.3 3P%, 77.1 FT% Durant 2011-12 Per-Game Stats: 28.0 points, 49.6 FG%, 38.7 3P%, 86.0 FT% Scoring is what Kevin Durant does. It's not only his specialty, it's also what makes him such a dangerous and elite player. With that being said, LeBron isn't exactly a slouch on the offensive side of the...
Post a Comment
Read more