Because the Warriors have very little money to offer free agents, the names of aging veteran players are going to be floated around a ton the next few days.
And because of his shooting touch, one name is extremely intriguing: 41-year-old Ray Allen.
The Warriors have pushed for a Ray Allen comeback since 2014. Ray has stayed in shape. His vet minimum would be $1,551,659. GS likely calls.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) July 5, 2016
Kennedy’s report shouldn’t be taken lightly. He was the first to get Draymond Green on the phone yesterday, just a few hours after Kevin Durant picked the Warriors.
The obvious concern is Allen’s age. Could he realistically give the Warriors any kind of punch off the bench? Well, other aging players have done it before.
Kevin Willis is the oldest player to suit up in the modern day NBA. The big man did so at 44 years old. Other notable players to play in their 40’s include, Dikembe Mutombo, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, John Stockton, Grant Hill, Kurt Thomas, Charles Oakley, JuWan Howard, Steve Nash, Michael Jordan, Jason Kidd, Andre Miller and Tim Duncan. It’s not entirely unheard of.
Of course, Allen is the NBA’s all-time leading three-point shooter, having made 2,973 in his 19-year career. Allen last suited up for the Miami Heat in 2013-14, where he averaged 9.6 points in 26.5 minutes, while shooting 37.5 percent from downtown. He was productive on offense, but a liability on defense.
Still, can you imagine Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Ray Allen on the floor at the same time? Warriors fans would be foaming at the mouth. Someone would be wide open on the court, and the Splash Brothers would extend into the Splash Family. Allen would become the new fan favorite, just like how Mo Speights could make Oracle Arena rise to their feet anytime he banged a three off the bench. His shooting would provide momentum off the bench.
There’s no telling what kind of shape Allen is in, even if Kennedy’s report says he’s trim. Running around the gym is different than guarding J.R. Smith. It’s also incredible how much the league has shifted two seasons into Allen’s retirement. The three-point shot has taken over the NBA like a forest fire, largely in part to the Warriors. Had the league been geared toward shooters back in the day, Allen’s legacy might’ve included more championships and personal accolades.
If you are asking Allen to fill the Ian Clark garbage-time role at the end of the bench, he probably won’t be into that. He’s going to want to play if he’s leaving the beach and his family. If you’re asking him to live up to the production Leandro Barbosa gave you, there’s no telling if he still has the legs to do so. Allen was never a lock-down defender, and two years away from NBA competition won’t help that part of the argument.
Then again, it’s unclear how many players will be willing to play for $1.5 million. Matthew Dellavedova will make $9 million per season the next four years. If you’ve bounced around the league for several seasons, now is the best time to make some money. Not everyone is going to be like Zaza Pachulia and sign for much less than they are worth. The Warriors will have question marks on the roster.
And the team does need shooters off the bench. The second unit can’t play a completely different style than the starters. Andre Iguodala is a capable shooter off the bench, but you don’t want that to be his main duty on offense. Shaun Livingston is much more of a midrange player and he’s more effective when he;s flanked by shooters. Rookie Patrick McCaw can hit three-pointers, but leaning on him to deliver right away is risky.
The Warriors need a sharpshooter off the bench. For the price of $1.5 million, the 41-year-old Allen may be worth the gamble.
