The rumors of Ray Allen’s return to the NBA hardwood started about three minutes after he stepped away from the game. The Warriors, Celtics, Bucks, and Heat have been involved in return rumors, but instead Allen has played golf, spent time with his family, and relaxed for the past couple of years.
But comeback rumors die about as easily as Freddy Krueger — they live on forever. Especially now that Clippers’ Doc Rivers told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe he could see an Allen return if the fit is right.
Doc Rivers on Ray Allen: "I won’t talk about what we talked about but I think if Ray was in the right spot, he may play." #Celtics #Clippers
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) September 6, 2016
For the record, Allen is now 41. Despite that, nobody much doubts if Allen could get his shoot off and knock it down (although maybe not at peak percentages). Also, Allen was always one of the best-conditioned athletes in the game, he was a guy that understood how to take care of his body. He’s probably still in good shape.
However, there is “good shape” and there is “ready for the grind of an NBA season shape.” Allen has to ask himself if he wants to put in the hours and the sweat in a gym for hours a day after two years off? And he’s doing all this for what, exactly? Is Allen looking for a team where he can get a fair amount of run and shots (to keep himself ahead of Stephen Curry on the all-time three-pointer list? Or does he want to chase a third ring?
Maybe it happens, but I would bet on golfing every day to win out.