Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen is out for at least two weeks due to a left ankle injury, which has now been diagnosed as a bone bruise. Allen, 25, was believed to have suffered the injury during practice.
On Saturday, Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff revealed that Allen has been dealing with this injury for a while. According to reports, he will be re-evaluated in two weeks after undergoing rehabilitation and treatment.
“It’s just one of those things over time,” Bickerstaff said following practice. “Not something that happened in practice and was triggered by something. It was something that had been building.”
Referring to a few NBA betting sites, the Cleveland Cavaliers hold 12th-shortest odds to win next season’s 2024 championship. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers.
Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen suffered a left ankle bone bruise in practice recently. Allen will be re-evaluated in two weeks, team says.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) October 7, 2023
In fact, an MRI on Friday confirmed Allen’s injury. The All-Star center is slated to miss the club’s three preseason games. Of course, his status for the Oct. 25 regular-season opener at the Brooklyn Nets is unclear.
Cleveland’s first home game is Oct. 27 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Bickerstaff hopes Allen will be ready in time for the Nets. However, he’s not holding his breath.
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen is out at least 2 weeks with ankle injury diagnosed as bone bruise, expected to miss all three preseason games
“I can’t give you an honest answer on that because it’s a bone, and everybody is different as far as how long those things take,” Bickerstaff said. “You can’t control everybody’s bone. But we wanted to do it now because we thought this was the best time.
In 68 starts with Cleveland in the 2022-23 season, Jarrett Allen averaged 14.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.2 blocks, and a career-high 32.6 minutes per game. The 6-foot-11 center also shot 64.4% from the floor and 73.3% at the foul line.
#Cavs Jarrett Allen expected to be sidelined for the duration of training camp and preseason, with his status for the regular season opener unclear
“It’s just one of those things over time. It was something that had been building.”https://t.co/CHheC4RmCJ
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) October 7, 2023
Last season, the Cavaliers went 5-1 when Allen scored 24 points. The California native recorded a season-high 24 points against the Portland Trail Blazers (Nov. 23, 2022, Jan. 12, 2023), Los Angeles Lakers (Dec. 6), New Orleans Pelicans (Jan. 16), New York Knicks (Jan. 24), and Houston Rockets (Mar. 26).
Plus, Allen is owed $60 million over the next three seasons. This is part of the five-year, $100 million contract he signed with Cleveland in August 2021. The big man was selected 22nd overall by the Nets in the 2017 NBA Draft out of the University of Texas at Austin.
Furthermore, Allen spent the first four seasons (2017-21) of his career with the Nets before getting traded to the Cavs in the four-team deal that sent James Harden from the Houston Rockets to Brooklyn.
If Allen is out to begin the 2023-24 regular season, Bickerstaff could allow more playing time for Dean Wade, Tristan Thompson, Damian Jones, and Georges Niang next to Evan Mobley.
