The New York Knicks are in dire need this off season of a high quality long range shooter. Their go-to marksman this season was Iman Shumpert who is likely going to miss the early part of the season due to injury. And even with Shumpert in the lineup, the Knicks were among the worst teams in the NBA from beyond the arc. Who better to fill that void than Ray Allen, the best three point shooter in NBA History?

Ray Allen is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and if he can’t get a deal done with the Celtics, he will be looking to go to a contender who values his services. The New York Knicks have made their interest in Allen known, but they aren’t holding their breath. Sport’s Illustrated has a source close to Allen who says he is leaning towards either the Heat or the Clippers. Here’s why…

If the Celtics don’t pan out for Allen, Sports Illustrated’s NBA writer Chris Mannix was told that the Knicks and Heat are at the top of his list. But a source very familiar with Allen’s situation told ESPNNewYork.com that the Heat, as well as potentially the Clippers, will be more attractive to the five-time All-Star in the offseason because they’re top teams that can offer more than the veteran’s minimum of $1.4 million. That will likely be the Knicks’ spending limit for free agents. You also have to consider that the Clippers feature Chris Paul and the Heat have LeBron James and Dwyane Wade as proven floor generals. The Knicks will have the still-developing Jeremy Lin running the show next season. If you’re Allen, who would you put your trust into more for delivering great passes with your career winding down? [via]

Does pairing Ray Allen with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin in Los Angeles make them the ‘team to beat’? Or is Allen replacing Mike Miller as the Heat’s sharpshooter his best option for another title in the late stages of his career?