Skip to content

Ray Allen: Rockets made most enticing offer since leaving Heat

Jesse Johnson / USA TODAY Sports

Ray Allen received plenty of offers since hitting free agency in 2014, but none he couldn't refuse.

The 41-year-old, who officially retired from the NBA last week, admitted he came closest to joining the Houston Rockets after leaving the Miami Heat in 2014, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY Sports.

Houston made the most enticing bid - in terms of playing time, coaching, and championship odds - but Allen ultimately rejected it because he wanted more than the mid-level exception, which Houston reportedly offered.

Allen didn't think he was done playing, and there were rumors over the next two years he'd join other clubs, but nothing materialized.

"I started thinking, 'Do I really want to do it? Do I want to be with my children? Or do I want to be away from my children?'" Allen recalled. "Then again, there wasn't a situation that was worth it."

In all, the legendary sharpshooter earned north of $184 million in salary over 18 NBA seasons, and retired as the league's all-time leader in threes made and attempted. He also won two titles, which gave him less of an impetus to extend his playing career.

"If I hadn't won a championship, then I would've been on somebody's roster (in 2014-15)," he explained. "I would've moved. I would've tried to make it work anyway possible."

So, confident in his legacy - to the point he doesn't plan to lobby for a spot in the Hall of Fame - Jesus Shuttlesworth hung up his sneakers for good.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox