The Cleveland Cavaliers spent the whole season campaigning to have four All-Stars.
Then, when Jarrett Allen didn’t get the nod, his teammates openly complained and claimed he had been snubbed.
Notably, they had a strong case for that, as Allen had been a defensive anchor and a steady contributor, averaging a double-double for the best team in basketball at the time.
Now, they might not feel the same way about him.
For the third consecutive season, Allen was a non-factor in the playoffs.
With that in mind, Jason Lloyd of The Athletic shed some light on his previous struggles, headlining how much of an issue this has been for his team:
“This is the third postseason in a row Jarrett Allen has been a complete ghost when the Cavs needed him most. The Knicks pushed him around two years ago when he conceded the lights were too bright. His ribs were injured last year in the first-round series against the Orlando Magic, and he missed the rest of the playoffs, frustrating members of the organization in the process. His combined stat line from the last two games in this series: 11 points and six rebounds. In two games,” Lloyd wrote.
Granted, Allen isn’t the only non-shooting big man who has struggled in the postseason in today’s game.
Nevertheless, the Cavs simply cannot afford to have one of their best players be unplayable when it matters most.
Allen is a very good player, and he’s done plenty for the team.
He’s a hard-working guy who has always put the team first.
Then again, it might be time to find him a new home.
Evan Mobley took a huge leap this season, and the team should look to build through and around him for years to come.
Their pairing worked like a charm in the regular season, but at the end of the day, the playoffs are all that matter.
The sample size is big enough to realize that Allen might not be cut out for the bright lights.
NEXT: Jarrett Allen Reveals What Cavs Should Have Done In Playoffs
