Spike Lee trying to recruit Ray Allen to the Knicks
Ray Allen told the Hartford Courant that he’s seriously considering an NBA comeback.
One team that’s been on Allen’s radar? The New York Knicks.
Longtime Knicks fan Spike Lee, who directed Allen as the lead in the 1998 film “He Got Game,” has been trying to convince the shooting guard to sign with New York.
“Spike Lee has been trying to recruit me,” Allen told the newspaper. “We’ve been texting.”
Allen also said that he’s spoken recently to the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks — two teams he played with during his 18 years in the NBA — about possibly joining them for the 2016-17 season.
It’s unclear if the Knicks have interest in Allen, but they’d have room to sign him. New York has 14 players under guaranteed contracts and so has room to add one more on a guaranteed deal before getting to the roster maximum of 15.
Signing Allen, or any other free agent, to a guaranteed deal would make it a bit more difficult for players signed to partially guaranteed deals (Chasson Randle, Ron Baker, J.P. Tokoto) to make the 15-man regular-season roster. For that to happen, the Knicks would have to waive a player signed to a guaranteed deal.
If Lee can convince Allen to sign in New York, the Knicks would be adding the NBA’s all-time leader in 3-pointers made in both the regular and postseasons. It’s unclear how much the 41-year-old Allen would be able to contribute at this point. He hasn’t played since the 2013-14 season but has always been in impeccable shape.
Allen told the Courant he’d probably decide to retire if he doesn’t find a situation that suits him by the time teams start training camp in September.
