Ray Allen in a Houston Rockets uniform is difficult to imagine, but apparently it almost became a reality two seasons ago.
In an interview with Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today Sports on Thursday, Allen said that the Rockets made an enticing bid for his services in 2014, but he ultimately turned it down because he wanted more than the mid-level exception that Houston reportedly offered.
Allen, the ten-time All-Star and the NBA’s all-time three-point king, officially announced his retirement earlier this month after sitting out the last two seasons. Also a two-time NBA champion, he had long been toying with the idea of a comeback and was looking at a number of other teams as well but never quite found the right fit.
“One of the biggest factors was for me not to go back was the simple fact that I won twice already,” Allen elaborated to Zillgitt. “I believed going into the 14-15 season, if I hadn’t won a championship, then I would’ve been on somebody’s roster. I would’ve moved. I would’ve tried to make it work anyway possible.”
Houston was quite intriguing that year, adding veterans Trevor Ariza, Jason Terry, Corey Brewer, and Josh Smith to their James Harden-Dwight Howard core and eventually making the Western Conference Finals. But with Allen’s legacy secure regardless and an extra two years to spend with his family to boot, he probably isn’t kicking himself over his decision to turn them down.
H/T CBS Sports
