Healthwise, it was a rough campaign for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team was riddled with injuries throughout the regular season. In the playoffs, they bowed out to the Boston Celtics, and one could argue that missing Donovan Mitchell (for two games) and Jarrett Allen had plenty to do with it. Allen, in particular, was sidelined the entire second round due to a rib contusion. With that being said, rumors about potential suitors currently surround the big man amid some reported Cavs frustration about his apparently unwillingness to take a painkiller injection in an attempt to play through the injury.
NBA insider Marc Stein writes the following in a recent update on The Stein Line:
āAllen continues to have numerous admirers in rival front offices despite the whispers of frustration circulating in Cleveland surrounding Allenās apparent reluctance to take a pain-killing injection to address a rib injury that sidelined him for the Cavsā final eight playoff games.ā
Stein doesnāt exactly mention the particular teams interested in Allen, but the New Orleans Pelicans are known fans and could pursue him to replace Jonas Valanciunas. Allen is still just 26 years old and one of the better centers in the NBA.
As for the injury, Allen reportedly didnāt want to get the injection because of what happened to quarterback Tyrod Taylor when he tried something similar. Taylor wound up with a punctured lung due to a shot for a rib injury.
The effects of Jarrett Allenās injury
Allenās injury was definitely a big blow for the Cavs. During the regular season, when names such as Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Max Strus went down with injuries, Allen was one of the healthier players. Unfortunately, that all changed during the Cavsā first-round series against the Orlando Magic, when the big man suffered the said rib contusion. He would miss the rest of the playoffs, leaving Cleveland with a shorthanded frontline to end their season.
Throughout the teamās 82-game stretch, Allen averaged a double double of 16.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. In four postseason appearances, he upped his numbers to 17.0 points and 13.8 boards. Without the center manning the middle, the Cavs had to move Evan Mobley to the five while playing small with fours such as Marcus Morris Sr. and Isaac Okoro. This proved to be difficult, as Cleveland was outrebounded throughout their second-round series. In five games, the Celtics finished with a total of 221 boards, compared to the Cavsā 177. To make things more troubling, Mitchell, who only suited up for three games, was the second-leading rebounder for Cleveland in that series.
With all this possibly going on, could the Cavs lose their anchor in the middle? That remains to be seen, but right now, plenty of other teams could use a solid center like Allen. It wonāt be surprising if there are indeed other organizations that will look to capitalize on the rumored frustration surrounding the big man and his painkiller issue. In addition, rumors are also swirling around many other key players on the team, including Mitchell and Darius Garland.
The future is uncertain for the Cavs, and fans can only hope that whatever happens this offseason results in the betterment of the team.
