Report: Cavaliers Believe Jarrett Allen Is Their Most ‘Indispensable’ Player

According to NBA reporter Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, the Cleveland Cavaliers believe Jarrett Allen is their most “indispensable” player. 

The Cavaliers signed Allen to a three-year, $91 million extension. Multiple teams tried to trade for Allen and Cleveland declined all offers for the center. 

“What people tend to say in this organization is that Jarrett’s the most indispensable player that they have,” Fedor said on the Wine and Gold Talk podcast. “That they just cannot function at the same high level offensively and defensively without Jarrett and the numbers bear that out. They are a different team at both ends of the floor when he is not healthy, when he’s in foul trouble, when he’s off the court.”

One of the top big men in the NBA, Allen averaged 16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.1 blocks in 2023-24 for the Cavaliers while shooting 63.4% from the field and 74.2% from the free-throw line.  

The 26-year-old Allen has career averages of 12.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.3 blocks with the Brooklyn Nets and Cavaliers.

Cleveland is 139-113 with Allen in the lineup. 

The Boston Celtics beat the Cavaliers in the second round of the 2024 playoffs in five games. Allen missed the entire series with a rib injury. 

“And there are people inside this organization that feel like the rebuild finally changed the minute that they traded for Jarrett,” Fedor said. “They felt like that gave them an identity, that gave them a centerpiece, that gave them another building block, that gave them a defensive presence, that gave them the right piece to put around Darius Garland.”

Allen, Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley signed extensions this offseason. The Cavaliers are committed to building around Mitchell, Garland, Allen and Mobley.

Kenny Atkinson is the new head coach of the Cavaliers. He coached Allen on the Nets. 

Cleveland signed Atkinson to a five-year deal.