Ray Allen Retirement: Allen Considering Ending Career, But LeBron Recruiting Him To Join Cavaliers

Ray Allen will soon be 39 and is reportedly considering retirement, but his pal and former teammate LeBron James is trying to convince him otherwise.

Allen had seen his role with the Miami Heat decline in the past few years, though he remained a key bench player. But with Allen turning 39 in just a few days, his days in the NBA could be numbered.

Now a free agent, Allen has garnered interest from both the Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he could again follow LeBron James. But the teams are now waiting on Allen to decide whether his NBA career will go on.

Back in May, before the Heat’s collapse in the NBA Finals, Ray Allen suggested that this year could be the end of the line.

“Do I want to get to the point where you tell me, ‘Look man, you ain’t looking good out there?'” Allen said. “Do you want to get to that point and people start saying that about you?”

He added, “When Barry Sanders retired, we were like, ‘What?’ He only played 10 years. We wanted him to play more. But he left on his terms. He was great. Ten was probably early. But you don’t want to get to the point where you are on a downside and everybody’s like, ‘You don’t seem like you have it anymore.’ ”

Even though he’s pushing 40, Ray Allen still seems to “have it.” This season he averaged 9.6 points and made 1.6 4-pointers per game. His field goal percentage was also just a shade under his career average of.452, and Allen was also able to contribute key leadership to Miami’s younger players.

There could be some good incentive for Ray Allen to continue playing. Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio reported that LeBron James is trying to recruit Allen to join him in Cleveland.

If he joins the Cavaliers, Ray Allen could play a role similar to what he did with LeBron in Miami. He would be expected to come off the bench and provide a deep-scoring threat, and would also serve as a complement to Kyrie Irving and Andrew Wiggins.

Whatever might be in the future for Allen, it appears clear that his days of dominance with the Heat are done. With LeBron gone, Dwyane Wade aging, and the supporting cast lacking last season, the team appears to have fallen out from the front of the pack.

Wade, who along with Chris Bosh will make up the team’s new Big Two, said he didn’t blame LeBron for leaving to go back home to Cleveland.

“As a friend and a teammate, I am sad to see my brother LeBron leave to begin a new journey,” Dwyane said in a statement. “In 2010, we decided to come together all for one goal — to win championships and we succeeded. We were friends when we first joined the league and created an unbreakable bond the past four years. Our collaboration will always be very special to me both personally and professionally. We shared something unique and he will always be part of my family.”

It’s not known when Ray Allen would make an official decision about retirement.