Brooklyn Nets: Who is the third-best player on the Nets’ roster?

My Answer

Even though I believe there will be games where all three of these players are capable of being named the third-best, I did come to a conclusive answer. I didn’t just look at who would be the best player for the remainder of this season, and throughout the 2020-2021 season, and I didn’t just simply look at the most talented player of the three.

I took into account who would be the best player alongside Durant and Irving, for the entirety of their time in Brooklyn, and because of that, I had to choose Jarrett Allen.

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Allen is the perfect complement for the two perimeter-based stars, and it has been proven that teams need a dominant center in order to win championships. The only exception is the four-star Golden State Warriors, who were simply capable of defeating teams based on sheer talent.

The other factor which played a role in this decision is Allen’s age. Entering the league at only 19 years old, Allen has grown to become quite the player by only age 21. His ability to catch lobs is something that can be used as a threat to cause any defense trouble, and it’s especially useful when your other two best players can work and create inside and out.

Another factor is that Allen is a lot more capable of playing as an off-ball player. His mobility and athleticism at nearly seven-feet aren’t common traits. We know that Irving and Durant can operate in isolation type settings, but against tougher defenders, it becomes useful to play pick-and-roll as well. Forcing a guard to switch onto the rolling Allen, or forcing his matchup to trail him will create a ton of mismatches, especially when the majority of the focus is centered around the other two players.

If we’re talking in a vacuum, Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris Levert are likely both better than Jarrett Allen. If we’re talking Brooklyn Nets, Allen is the third-best player and the third-most important player.

A lot of his ability to break out of his shell could rely on the new coach. If the coach next year is wanting to tend to the needs of his superstars and start Jordan, then the full potential of Allen may not be exposed.

If Allen is allowed to break out of his shell, and develop during his younger years, then a big-three of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and Jarrett Allen could be a threat to be reckoned with and could dominate the East for years to come.