When you think of the players with the best value in the league, Jarrett Allen of the Brooklyn Nets has to come to mind at just $2.3 million this season. Averaging 10.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, it’s not too much of a stretch to say he provides more than he gets paid for.
The question is pretty simple; who has the best value in the league? You think of Pascal Siakam, the reigning Most Improved Player of the Year at $2.3 million, you think of Brook Lopez in 2018-2019 completely transcending his game and hitting more three pointers than any player over seven feet tall in the history of the NBA making only $3.3 million. Do the Brooklyn Nets have anyone that may fit the criteria here?
The answer is yes. While the aforementioned Pascal could be the choice it’s entirely conceivable that at this point next season we’re talking about Jarrett Allen as the guy who deserves the next big contract as someone who consistently improved on his rim protection as the previous season progressed. Furthermore, Jarrett is also someone who saw an increase in minutes played, points per game, rebounds per game, and a slight increase in blocks per game from his rookie season.
So where is the value at? In just his second season, Jarrett grew exponentially as a rim protector and as an inside scorer, as he helped Brooklyn make the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. Speaking more towards that, he started all 80 games that he played for the Nets, and recorded a double-double in 24 of them, with his best stat line coming on November 17th at home against the Clippers, posting 24 points and 11 rebounds shooting 61.5 percent from the floor and 88.9 percent from the free throw line.
Finishing the season with a field goal percentage of 59.0 percent, (eighth-best in the league) Jarrett proved what was mentioned before–that he can finish at the rim. However, what even just a small glimpse at his stats will tell you, is that he did have an incredibly difficult time scoring outside of the paint. Shooting 6/45 from three, (13.3 percent) and just 2.1 percent from mid range (10-16 feet out). So if hearing that is indicative of anything, here’s what it means;
Jarrett Allen is a near seven footer attempting to space the floor, something that is held in high value in today’s game. If he begins to see any form of improvement doing so, forget the All-Defensive Teams, we’re talking about All-Star appearances. Being a one-dimensional big man in modern basketball will seldom find you success, so the fact that the Brooklyn Nets have a six-foot eleven-inch ball of clay that they’re still attempting to mold should be something that is terrifying the the rest of the NBA.
Whether or not he starts for Brooklyn next season over DeAndre Jordan, (which for all intents and purposes he should) Nets fans can rest easy knowing that they have one of the best sixth man players in the league coming off of the bench for them.
Jarrett Allen truly has the potential to be a perennial All-Star.