Allen has been key to Cleveland’s recent success.
Few players have been more influential than Jarrett Allen in the recent success of the Cleveland Cavaliers. In fact, an argument can be made that only Donovan Mitchell has consistently done more for the franchise since 2022. That’s not to take anything away from the array of support from everyone else — but it’s time to give Allen some flowers.
Allen’s worth was on display last season when Darius Garland and Evan Mobley simultaneously suffered month-long injuries in December. The Cavs season was teetering on the edge and only the ‘power of friendship’ could save it. But while names like Craig Porter Jr. and Sam Merrill stepped up in big ways off the bench, Allen and Mitchell spearheaded their success.
During that stretch, Allen dominated in an expanded role. He averaged 18.3 points and 12.9 rebounds on 63.7% shooting. He was more involved in the offense than ever — operating DHOs and dribbling the ball more often in Mobley’s absence. He even began knocking down elbow jumpers when opposing bigs would sag off him.
That mini-stretch of versatility begs the question, is there some untapped potential with Allen? And could Kenny Atkinson help him realize it?
During Media Day, Allen joked with reporters that ‘hopefully’ this would be the season he’s allowed to shoot more three-pointers. While I wouldn’t go that far, I wouldn’t write off an expanded role for Allen (or Mobley). The truth is, one of them has to stop playing like a traditional big for this pairing to work long-term offensively. What if both of them diversified their games?
Allen has some shooting touch. It might not translate to the three-point line, but he’s found success from the elbow — and shoots above 70% from the free throw stripe. Could this become a stronger feature of his game? What about handling the ball and creating plays for others? No one is expecting Allen to be Nikola Jokic — but can he fill a larger role than the strictly defined one he held before?
There’s no sense in placing Allen in a box. He showed he could accept more offensive responsibilities last season. The Cavaliers would only benefit from Allen playing like a modern big. Simply having the freedom to attack slower centers off the dribble would feel like a stark contrast from how Allen was expected to play for most of his time under J.B. Bickerstaff.
Player development under Atkinson is key. How much more can Allen give to this team? That’s something Atkinson will have to explore, for better or worse. Maybe Allen has already firmly hit his ceiling. But if he hasn’t, Atkinson is the guy expected to help him reach it.
