Brooklyn Nets pick up options on Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert

The Brooklyn Nets on Monday exercised their 2019-20 options on center Jarrett Allen and wing Caris LeVert in a completely unsurprising procedural move.

In a move that will surprise few (because, hey, there’s always someone), the Brooklyn Nets picked up the 2019-20 options for center Jarrett Allen and swingman Caris LeVert.

The moves were announced via Nets.com.

LeVert, 24, was the 20th overall pick by the Indiana Pacers in 2016 and was acquired by the Nets in July of that year along with a 45-60 protected second-round pick in exchange for Thaddeus Young.

LeVert’s option is for the final year of his rookie contract at $2.63 million.

Last season, LeVert played in 71 games, starting 10, and averaged 12.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 26.3 minutes per game, while shooting .435/.347/.711.

Those were all marked increases over his rookie numbers. Last season was the first time LeVert — who had problems with a broken foot while at the University of Michigan — was completely healthy since his sophomore season with the Wolverines.

LeVert can play the 2 or 3 and last season spent a considerable amount of time running the point after injuries sidelined both Jeremy Lin and D’Angelo Russell early in the season.

He is coming off a solid preseason in which he started all four games and averaged 14.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.8 steals in 28.5 minutes per game on .426/7-for-19/6-for-7 shooting.

LeVert will likely be a full-time starter this season and should be among the team’s leading scorers. With his quick first step off the dribble and what appears to be an improved touch from deep, LeVert is emerging as a legitimate dual threat as a scorer and also can distribute the ball.

The Nets drafted Allen in 2017 with the 22nd overall pick acquired from the Washington Wizards in the 2017 trade deadline deal that sent Bojan Bogdanovic and Chris McCullough to D.C. and brought Andrew Nicholson and Marcus Thornton to the borough.

His third-year option is valued at $2.38 million and he also has a $3.91 million team option for 2020-21.

Allen was one of the surprise rookies in the 2017 draft class, starting his final 31 games — he played in 72 overall — and leading all rookies with 88 blocked shots.

On the season, he averaged 8.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 20.0 minutes per game and shot .589/5-for-15/.776.

He’s made major steps in the offseason, as evidenced by a strong preseason in which he started all four games and averaged 13.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 26.0 minutes per game while shooting .541/2-for-4/.650.

Allen added some bulk this offseason and also can step his shooting range out to the corners with confidence.

The Nets are counting on Allen’s improvement and the additions of veterans Ed Davis and Kenneth Faried to help strengthen a rebounding game that was dead last in the NBA last season, allowing 46.8 per game, including 10.4 offensive boards a night.