The New Orleans Pelicans have signed unrestricted free agent shooting guard Tony Allen to a one-year contract.
Shams Charania of The Vertical broke the news Monday afternoon:
Free agent Tony Allen is finalizing a one-year deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, league sources tell The Vertical.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 11, 2017
Tony Allen Signs With New Orleans Pelicans
Allen’s new deal will take him through the end of the 2017-18 season.
Allen averaged 9.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game last season for the Memphis Grizzlies. Known for his defensive prowess, Allen was named to the 2017 NBA All-Defensive Second Team. This marked the sixth time that Allen was named to the All-Defensive First or Second Teams. For the Pelicans, Allen will be a significant boost to their defensive culture as a franchise. Despite his age (35), Allen’s ability to impact games on the defensive end has been timeless. The Grizzlies made the playoffs in six out of Allen’s seven years in Memphis.
Looking forward, Allen will provide elite defense and veteran leadership a for New Orleans, whether he starts or comes off the bench. The Pelicans will need Allen to remain an elite defender and capable rebounder at his position in order to compete for a playoff spot in the 2017-18 season.
Allen is going into his 14th season in the league, during which he’ll turn 36 years old. Prior to Allen’s seven-year tenure with the Grizzlies, the 6’4″ shooting guard began his career with the Boston Celtics. Allen won an NBA championship alongside Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce back in 2008. Allen and Rajon Rondo are the only two players from that championship team still active in the NBA; they are now reunited in New Orleans, as Rondo signed with the Pelicans earlier this summer.
Check out the LWOS 2017 NBA Free Agency Tracker for all of your NBA free agency coverage, and be sure to follow @LastWordHoops on Twitter to stay up-to-date with the latest NBA news.
Main Photo
