3. Jarrett Allen More Versatile than DeAndre Jordan
Should Jarrett Allen start for the Nets over DeAndre Jordan?
DeAndre Jordan or Jarrett Allen? That seemingly age-old question still remains partially unresolved, having rolled over from last year without much development. During the preseason, Nash let Jordan start both games, but Allen nipped at his minutes both nights, averaging only 1.3 fewer minutes per game than Jordan while coming off the bench.
Allen looked like the more aggressive option down low, averaging 6.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, while Jordan averaged only 2.5 points and 5.5 rebounds. However, Jordan still appeared useful, finding his teammates for easy buckets early and often during offensive sets.
This still remains a small sample size, so might coach Nash might not make any adjustments until further down the road, but no matter how you look at it, Allen seems to offer more than Jordan does given his superior mobility and athleticism. We know Nash intends to at least partially mirror his quick-strike offense from his Phoenix days with this Nets team, and the way Allen moves up and down the court makes him seem like far more applicable piece to work with in that system.
Jordan still deserves to field a healthy supply of minutes given his astute play as a veteran, but he runs like a man stuck in quicksand, often looks lost as a defender, and fails to convert nearly half the high flying alley-oop attempts that once made him a household name. He might hold onto the starting role, but expect Allen to play more often than the former Lob City standout as the season progresses.