Knicks Rumors: Spike Lee Recruiting Ray Allen
New York Knicks Rumors: Director and Knicks super fan Spike Lee is doing his best to recruit Ray Allen to New York.
New York Knicks rumors have been quiet recently, as they did most of their roster overhaul early in free agency. They have continued adding smaller pieces in the subsequent weeks, as they have begun signing players to partially guaranteed deals to participate in training camp in a couple of weeks.
The Knicks have one open roster spot currently, as they have 14 players with guaranteed deals for the 2016-17 season. The players with partially guaranteed deals will be fighting it out for that final spot, but if the Knicks most famous fan, Spike Lee, has his way, that roster spot will be taken by veteran sharpshooter Ray Allen.
Allen told the Hartford Courant that he is seriously considering a return to the NBA for this season, and that Lee is recruiting him to play with the Knicks if he does return.
“Spike Lee has been trying to recruit me,” Allen told the newspaper. “We’ve been texting.”
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Unlike many of the NBA superstars that have become familiar and friendly with Lee because of games they play at Madison Square Garden, Allen has a relationship with Lee off the court as well.
Allen was the lead role in Lee’s film “He Got Game” in 1998, playing Jesus Shuttlesworth, the son of Jake Shuttlesworth, who was played by Denzel Washington. Lee is trying his best to watch Allen work once again, as the longtime Knicks fan is attempting to bring him to New York for the upcoming season.
Allen, who is the all-time leader in three-pointers made during the regular season (2,973) and postseason (385) in NBA history, has also had discussions with the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks about a potential return. Allen played for both the Celtics and Bucks in his 18-year career, along with the Seattle Supersonics and Miami Heat.
How much interest the Knicks have in Allen at this time is unclear according to ESPN New York’s Ian Begley. There is no doubt he would help the Knicks, though, as they ranked 20th in three-point percentage last season, making 34.6 percent and 24th in three-pointers made, knocking down only 7.4 threes per game.
It is unclear how much Allen would be able to contribute to an NBA team at this point, as he hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2013-14 season. But, Allen has always kept himself in outstanding shape, so his conditioning shouldn’t be a problem if he does sign with a team.
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You can expect a decision from Allen in the coming weeks, as he told the newspaper that he will probably announce his retirement if he does not find a situation that he likes by the time teams begin their training camps in September.