Brooklyn Nets: 3 big questions heading into 2018-19 NBA season

2. Can Jarrett Allen take the next step?

Taken with the 22nd overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, not much was expected from Jarrett Allen during his inaugural go-round in the league. A bouncy 6’10” center with a roughly 7’5” wingspan, the former Texas Longhorn was seen as a lump of clay that needed molding over time.

To his credit, Allen showed immediate upside in his rookie season, posting numbers of 8.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in only 20 minutes of action a night.

Heading into his sophomore campaign, people will actually have expectations for Allen, and if he doesn’t show improvement, it will be quite disappointing. Given the lack of centers on Brooklyn’s roster, he’ll have no shortage of opportunities to show his growth and development.

This doesn’t mean there’s necessarily a certain stats threshold with which Allen must hit, but it’s always easy to see from year to year which youngsters have been in the gym getting better.

The Nets were able to find a diamond in the rough with Jarrett Allen. If he’s able to show some improvement over what was already a surprising first year, Brooklyn’s front office will look even smarter, and the team will have a building block for the future.