Ray Allen heads South.

[bluedigger]

Allen chooses to sign with Miami Heat

MIAMI—Ray Allen will take less money for a chance at another NBA championship.

Allen told the Miami Heat on Friday night that he intends to accept their contract offer and leave Boston after five seasons, even though the Celtics could pay him about twice as much as the reigning NBA champions will be able to next season. Miami could only offer Allen the mini mid-level, worth about $3 million a year.

Heat owner Micky Arison tweeted the news just after 9:30 p.m. -- or about 2:30 a.m. Saturday in Europe, where Arison has been for several days.

"I was just woken up with great news," Arison wrote. "Welcome to the family." Arison ended the tweet by making mention of Allen's jersey No. 20, and did not mention the NBA's leading 3-point shooter by name.

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/articles/2012/07/06/allen_chooses_to_sign_with_miami_heat/

meh. He was good, okay, great, but his best days are in the past. Good luck to him, except against the Celtics, of course.

[Scurrilous]

1. Miami Heat bolsters lineup with addition of sharpshooter Ray Allen

Ray Allen rejects a larger financial offer from the Celtics to join the Heat – a move that boosts Miami’s bench and weakens one of its chief rivals.

<snip>

"A splendid summer just got even better for the Miami Heat.

Ray Allen, the NBA’s all-time leader in three-point field goals, is leaving Boston to join the NBA champion.

Allen rejected a two-year, $12 million offer from the Celtics to take a two-year, $6.3 million deal from the Heat – a move that bolsters Miami’s bench and weakens one of its chief Eastern Conference rivals.

The news was broken Friday night by Heat owner Micky Arison, who got a call from team president Pat Riley.

“It’s 2:30 a.m. in London and I was just woken up with great news,” Arison posted on Twitter. “Welcome to the family, No. 20.”

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/07/06/2885419/micky-arison-tweets-that-ray-allen.html#storylink=cpy

[JonLP24]

2. He should be an upgrade to Mike Miller

Last edited Sat Jul 7, 2012, 03:07 PM - Edit history (1)

Even at his age, he is an accurate shooter. The Heat's offense was designed to get open jumpers and he is a much bigger threat than Mike Miller.

Even though the Heat have Mario Chalmers and didn't need Nash, Steve would have been good for the Heat because he knows how attack the basket and is very accurate shooter can hit the open shots. They need more inside scoring but all-in-all an upgrade here for Miami.

[trumad]

3. Miller was marvelous in the final Championship game---but

The Dude's body is a jalopy.

This is a huge get for the Heat and with their new style of play, well....... Ring two.

Jealous Douchebags.

[JonLP24]

4. I agree

which is probably the most interesting story about the NBA Playoffs. He is a one-dimensional sit behind the 3-point line, catch the ball-and-shoot player who was awful during the playoffs, I remember after Game 4 @Indiana, I was reading a re-cap of the game & the writer was saying (paraphrasing) "Lebron James had a triple-double""Yes, I know he had 9 assists but I'm counting the (James driving to the paint to pass to Miller for a missed 3-pointer) as an assist, since Miller's was brought in to sit back there and make open three's"

75 out of his 99 shot attempts were 3-pointers during the playoffs which was hurting them(He went from averaging 4.4 PPG before G5-6.1 after) then he plays by far his best game during the playoffs in the last game.

I agree Ray Allen is huge because is more of a player and is far more accurate. I've read that the Heat plan on using Allen to use Lebron James as a "point-power forward".

Offensively it does have it's flaws, in Game 1 of the Finals, The Heat made nearly all their 3's(especially Battier) in the first half, then couldn't buy a 3 in the 4th lost their lead and wasn't really close to the end. It is great if it works, but really bad if it doesn't." OKC demonstrated the same flaw, heavily relied on the 3 at-times which led to a lot of misses, especially from James Harden.

That is all I meant by they need more inside scoring. It has less margin of error. This move for Allen makes them a better offensive team than they were last year and I feel their defense is one of the best in the league, they only need a few if any adjustments.

[chelsea0011]

5. Ray Allen has slowed down a lot.

I think the Celtics re-signing Jeff Green (hopefully, it gets done) and signing Jason Terry is an upgrade for their team. Ray needs a good pick to get free. I know his ankles were bothering him last season, but he was really slow getting open for his shot. Ray meant a lot to the C's the last 5 years but anyone who watched him the past two years knows he isn't the same guy he was the first few years. The C's are certainly a big guy short of being a much better team, but they have improved over Miami up to this point.

[trumad]

6. "but they have improved over Miami up to this point".

Is that a typo?

[chelsea0011]

7. No, it is not. Jeff Green and Jason Terry is more than Allen.

[trumad]

8. LOL---

Well---when Ray is tossing up wide open 3's... we'll see.

Miami needed one decent pick up this off-season---they got it big time.

I see the Celt's patching together a team.

[chelsea0011]

10. And now Courtney Lee. If the C's haven't improved more than Miami,

you are not paying attention. The C's have improved their team more than Miami has. It is simplae as that. I'm not saying the C's can beat Miami. I'm just saying they have done more in the off season than Miami.

[TSIAS]

9. Good for Ray

I'm a Heat fan, and I actually own a Ray Allen Celtics jersey.

It seemed like he was always disrespected in Boston. Whenever they wanted to trade one of the big 3, he was the guy. Apparently he and Rondo didn't get along well. Sounded like not getting his starting job back was the final straw for him in Boston.

While he certainly isn't the rebounder or defender that Miller is, he is an elite 3 point shooter and is relatively healthy.