Jarrett Allen is the poster child for consistency from NBA Bigs. He’s been a crucial component in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ ascent while being a walking double-double most nights. However, when trade talks emerge regarding the Cavaliers, Allen’s name is the first one thrown out.
Allen’s consistency and reliability don’t come with stretches where he takes over entire games. Thus, it feels like Allen is considered a safer option and more expendable in exchange for a player who offers more dynamism.
Another
narrative in the anti-Jarrett Allen hive revolves around how he sometimes spends the closing minutes of competitive games on the bench. It’s a fair argument that someone who is a franchise cornerstone should be good enough to be on the floor in pivotal moments. However, in today’s NBA, versatility is king, so it’s rare unless you have a Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, or Anthony Davis type of center, it’s tough to stay on the floor in the closing minutes.
Something often overlooked by the general fandom is that, despite his limitations, Allen is one of the best bargains in the NBA. At his current price point of $20 million for 2025-2026, Allen is currently a cheaper player than the likes of Myles Turner ($27 million), Nicholas Claxton ($24.5 million), Naz Reid ($25 million), and Issiah Hartenstein ($29 million). Even at the nearly $30 million that Allen is set to make in his newer 2026-2028 deal, this is still a great contract with the ever-increasing salary cap.
For the upcoming season, it would be a surprise if Allen strays far from his double-double play. As fellow front-court partner Evan Mobley’s star continues to rise, it seems unlikely that Allen will be in the All-Star conversation again. However, the worst thing we can do is to assume that just because Mobley outshines Allen night to night, that this deems Allen expendable.
It is worth noting that without Darius Garland and Max Strus to start the year, Allen could see more opportunities on the offensive end. Some of his most dominant stretches have been when the Cavaliers are down a starter or two. You do not have to remember too far back when Allen and Donovan Mitchell were a two-man wrecking crew during that 21-2 stretch in the 2023-24 season. Allen has constantly shown an ability to fill in with that next man up situation that the Cavaliers are certainly privy to.
What Allen needs in order for this season to be deemed a success is to show up in the playoffs. This isn’t going to be an Allen needs to be more alpha-male conversation. It’s more about how he needs to become less invisible when the lights are bright. He is an elite rim protector and is a better rebounder than the playoff stat sheet has shown over the years. However, too often, the narrative is how Allen is outshone by whoever is matched up across from him. Whether it’s Mitchell Robinson or Myles Turner, Allen is never the name at the top of the list for difference makers in a series. That is the issue.
We know what Allen can do in the regular season. He’s coming off of playing all 82 games. Now, all eyes turn to what he can prove in the postseason. Allen has turned into one of the main scapegoats for the Cavaliers’ postseason woes. While some points are fair, they are swaying the perception of Allen too far in the negative direction.
