Ray Allen will be back with the Miami Heat for the 2013-14 season. The Heat announced Friday afternoon that Allen exercised his player option for next season, choosing to stay in Miami for the final season of the two-year deal he signed last summer.
The 17-year veteran was a key player off the bench for Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, and hit perhaps the biggest shot in franchise history when he made a game-tying three-pointer with five seconds remaining in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.
The shot forced overtime, just as it seemed like the Heat would fall to the San Antonio Spurs in their quest to repeat as NBA champions. Miami won in overtime, setting up the decisive Game 7 in Miami two nights later.
"I have to say that is the biggest shot I ever hit in my career," Allen said after the NBA Finals.
Allen appeared in 79 games during the regular season, the first of his career in which he did not log a single start. He shot 45%, including a stellar 42% from three-point range. He average 10.9 points per game with 2.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists.
In the playoffs, Allen logged 25 minutes per game, averaging 10.2 points and shooting 41% from downtown.
No one in NBA history has made more career three-pointers than Allen. He surpassed Reggie Miller's career playoff three-pointer record during the Heat's championship run.
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Allen's contract calls for him to make $3.23 million next season.
With Allen, Rashard Lewis, and James Jones exercising player options, and the Heat exercising a team option for Mario Chalmers this week, the only major contributor from the Heat's championship run that remains unsigned is center Chris "Birdman" Andersen.
