Brooklyn Nets: 2017-18 player grades for Jarrett Allen

Weaknesses

With it in mind that Allen was highly ranked on the Nets’ draft board, the reasons why he fell to No. 22 must also be examined.

The main concern with Allen is that offensively, he’s basically a non-factor outside the paint. His range is improving, but he isn’t a proven floor-spacer yet, as he only took 15 3-pointers.

His role was mainly as a pick-and-roll finisher, obviously, but the value of spacing the floor is integral to any team’s success. It’s no coincidence that most elite big men are threats behind the arc, such as Joel Embiid, DeMarcus Cousins and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Even if the shots don’t fall at an elite clip, the mere threat of a 6’10” behemoth shooting would be enormously helpful. Every additional foot that he spaces out just opens up more slashing and passing lanes.

Another element of his game in need of work is his versatility on defense. He’s not horridly flat-footed like his teammate Jahlil Okafor, but he could stand to improve his lateral quickness. With the evolution of small-ball, being able to switch onto quicker players is becoming more and more imperative.

Both these shortcomings can be improved with more practice, and Allen will certainly get some in his first full offseason as an NBA player. Even if he only becomes palpable in these departments, the marginal benefits from such little improvements could be the difference between being good and great.