The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports that the Grizzlies have closed in on a deal with former Celtics back-up guard Tony Allen. Woj and Spears over at Yahoo! report the deal is for three-years, $10 million, a very reasonable price for a player that played a significant role for the Celtics during their Finals run.
It’s a smart move for the Grizzlies, getting a solid back-up perimeter defender for a reasonable price. They need one after letting Ronnie Brewer walk. Brewer had been acquired for a first round pick from Utah, but then was hurt, and then renounced without attempting to re-sign him, another a series of questionable Grizzlies moves dating back to the beginning of time.
The Grizzlies were an explosive offensive unit but desperately needed defensive improvement and production off the bench. Allen showed flashes of offensive ability to go with a defensive skillset that helped lockdown Dwyane Wade and LeBron James in the playoffs. It’ll be interesting to see if Allen gets time with O.J. Mayo at point guard, a move expected to be experimented with during Summer League this week.
