Ray Allen Signs With Heat: Get Ready For The Fantastic Four In Miami

Photo Credit: Keith Allison

The NBA free agency process for Ray Allen couldn’t have been anymore difficult. The soon to be 37-year-old shooting guard had been pursued by many teams all with different opportunities for the 10-time All-Star.

In the end, it came down to two teams, his current team, the Boston Celtics and this year’s NBA champions, the Miami Heat.

In the quest for another ring, Allen, the league’s all-time leader in three-point “makes” had rejected Boston’s larger contract offer of $12 million dollars over two years. Instead, old “Ray-Ray” made his decision and accepted the Miami Heat offer of $6.3 million dollars for two years.

Clearly, this move had nothing to do with money; it had everything to do with winning and doing it quickly.

With this acquisition, the Miami Heat has once again just bolstered up the team’s overall talent. It’s scary even thinking about it. While we take nothing away from players, such as Shane Battier and Mike Miller, nothing compares to seeing an open Ray Allen shooting the rock from the three-point line.

Now, the Miami Heat has a legitimate inside and outside threat enough to intimidate the top defensive teams in the league. With all the double teams LeBron James attracts, you can bet your bottom that the “King” is more than happy hearing that number #20 will be playing for the Heat nation.

Ray Allen’s responsibilities will revolve around being the back up to Dwyane Wade at shooting guard, in addition to playing heavy minutes with James, Bosh and Wade when guys like Mario Chalmers are out of the game.

Now that Ray Allen is in the mix, the Miami Heat will turn their attention to signing a few more pieces that could assist the team next year. Visits from Marcus Camby and Rashard Lewis have also been scheduled.

Remember the days when building a team only consisted of two stars? The NBA has evolved dramatically through the years and the league is no longer what it was in the past.

Teams are desperately trying to enhance their rosters by acquiring the biggest names, even at the expense of having to pay a luxury tax. Forget your top two, scratch off the infamous “Big Three.” There’s a new formula in town and the Miami Heat just discovered it.

South Beach now has a new theme. It’s called the “Fantastic Four.”

Source: Miami Herald