Tony Allen is expected to meet with the Memphis Grizzlies shortly after free agency begins on July 1, according to a tweet from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Allen, 31, has spent the last three seasons in Memphis after breaking into the league with Boston.
NBA free agency: Tony Allen to meet with Grizzlies, others in pursuit
Allen, one of the top defensive guards in the league, figures to have plenty of suitors this summer as he hits the free agency market.
In addition to the Grizzlies, the Pacers, Bucks and Knicks are all expected to be in the running to land his services for the next three or four years, according to Wojnarowski. With the possible exception of Indiana, all of the listed teams could benefit from adding a proven veteran to their backcourts and have the salary cap space to do so.
Allen is regarded as one of the top defensive guards in the league and continued to be a very valuable piece for the Grizzlies in 2012-13. He’s never been a volume scorer, but still managed to average just under nine points a game last season while aiding the Grizzlies to a Western Conference Finals appearance.
With a deep crop of guards available on the free agent market this summer, it will be interesting if Allen looks to sign early in the process. Monta Ellis, O.J. Mayo and Tyreke Evans are all younger options and will likely be more attractive to potential suitors. Defense is typically undervalued on the market, and that's undoubtedly the top aspect of Allen's game.
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