Blazers Called On Ray Allen

You can’t blame the Trail Blazers for trying.  Shortly after losing guard Wesley Matthews for the season due to a torn Achilles’ tendon, Portland GM Neil Olshey called agent Jim Tanner to see if Ray Allen might be interested in signing, league sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.  However, Olshey was informed that Allen, 39, remains intent on sitting out the season and wouldn’t consider the possibility of joining Portland – or any other team.

All in all, there were reportedly 14 teams – nearly half the NBA – interested in signing Allen until his announcement earlier this week.  The Blazers would have presented Allen with a chance to join a playoff-bound team badly in need of a three-point shooter following Matthews’ injury, but it sounds like his mind is made up for good.

It would almost take less time to list the teams that weren’t after the veteran.  The Cavs were linked to Allen more than anyone, but they were informed in late February that Allen was not Cleveland-bound.  The Grizzlies, too, were ruled out of the running recently.  The Warriors, Wizards, Spurs, Heat and Hawks were keeping in touch with Allen’s camp as of early February, and Clippers coach/exec Doc Rivers spoke to him around that time, but they were all rebuffed.  The Blazers might go down as the last team to call on Allen this season, but you never know who might give it the old college try.

If Allen doesn’t play again this year, he’ll walk away as the NBA’s all-time leader in three-pointers made and career earnings in excess of $184.356MM, according to Basketball-Reference.

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