The Cleveland Cavaliers have been without starting center Jarrett Allen in nine of their last 10 games. Allen is dealing with a strained finger in his shooting hand, which has caused him to miss the last five games since the end of November.
According to Cavs beat reporter Danny Cunningham of The Inside Shot, Allen took a big step in his recovery and potential return from injury. He was a full participant in the Cavaliers’ practice on Tuesday.
Coach Kenny Atkinson even said that Allen “looked good” in practice, though he didn’t share if the medical team has already cleared him to return for Friday’s game against the Washington Wizards, as per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
Allen initially suffered the finger injury on November 19 against the Houston Rockets. He missed the next three games and returned nine days later to face the Atlanta Hawks.
However, Allen and the team agreed that it would be best to limit the player’s activities and rule him out until he’s fully recovered. He was still allowed to do conditioning workouts, but he wasn’t permitted to catch, dribble or shoot.
Allen Broke His Left Ring Finger in Late October
His current finger injury on his shooting hand isn’t the first injury that has plagued Jarrett Allen this season. Allen broke his left ring finger on November 28 against the Boston Celtics.
According to The Associated Press, the former NBA All-Star center underwent an X-ray and was diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture. It was the best-case scenario for Allen because the broken bone pieces in his finger were not out of alignment.
Allen underwent several treatments and ended up missing just two games before returning November 5 against the Philadelphia 76ers. He played the next 10 games, with the Cavs going 7-3, before he sustained his current injury.
The ninth-year player is having another solid season, averaging 14.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game. However, he’s playing in just 26.1 minutes per game, the lowest of his career since his rookie season with the Brooklyn Nets.
Teams Keeping Eye on Allen
The Cleveland Cavaliers are off to an underwhelming start to the season at 14-11. They were the best team in the Eastern Conference last season, so it’s a very disappointing campaign so far for the Cavs.
Darius Garland and Max Strus began the season on the shelf, while Evan Mobley has seemingly regressed after being named an All-Star and winning the Defensive Player of the Year last season.
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported that multiple NBA teams are keeping tabs on Jarrett Allen’s availability before the trade deadline. If the Cavaliers continue to struggle, they could unload some players like Allen.
One of the reasons why Allen is an attractive option for contending teams is his team-friendly contract. He’s earning just $20 million this season, with a new three-year, $90.72 million extension kicking in next season.
Allen is also a solid rebounder and interior defender, while his offense is mostly about catching lobs and making the occasional hook shot, layup and floater. However, his best attribute is being a rim runner, which is perfect for some contenders.
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