Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen took a significant tumble in ESPN’s latest NBA player rankings, sliding 18 spots ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Allen checked in at No. 63 this time around after landing at No. 45 for the 2025-26 season. The drop comes even though ESPN pointed to a clearer role for him next year alongside James Harden.
“The Cavaliers will get a full season of Allen running on-ball screens with James Harden, an action they went to quite a bit after Harden arrived in Cleveland,” ESPN wrote. “According to GeniusIQ, Allen set 13.7 on-ball screens per game with Harden as the ball handler, ranking in the top five among duos to run 100 pick actions together from Feb. 7 until the end of the regular season. Allen also had a jump in his offensive production in the 13 regular-season games he played with Harden, averaging 18.4 points and 70.5% shooting from the field.”
Allen is set to make $28 million next season. Last year, he averaged 15.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 63.8% from the field and 70.9% from the free-throw line. He also finished with 20 double-doubles.
In the 2026 playoffs against the Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks, Allen averaged 12.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Cleveland’s run ended with a sweep at the hands of the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.
A one-time All-Star, Allen has spent time with the Brooklyn Nets and Cavaliers and owns career averages of 13.1 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. His contract does not include a no-trade clause.
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