NBA All-Star snub #1: Jarrett Allen
Despite not making an all-star team in his young career, Jarrett Allen is certainly deserving of the honor for his 2021-22 campaign. Acting as the anchor of the most surprising Eastern conference team this season, the Cleveland Cavaliers have both Darius Garland and Allen to thank for their impressive 31-21 record.
The big man’s averaged 16 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks while shooting 67.8 percent from the field. He’s showcased himself to be one of the best vertical threats in the league, both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Few challenge Allen at the rim and succeed, with Cleveland holding the league’s 3rd best defensive rating at 106.4.
Just last season, the Cavs were 25th in the association in that same category. The frontcourt duo of Evan Mobley and Allen has caused nightmares for opposing centers and ball-handlers alike, leading Cleveland to multiple ugly, low-scoring victories.
Allen also has a reputable case when looking at advanced stats. He sits in the 97th percentile (+4.5) in the entire league in estimated plus/minus, a stat looking at a players’ overall impact when he’s on the floor. For comparison, that number puts him in the same company as Ja Morant and DeMar Derozan.
Now, for any snub, we have to say who they should replace.
Who Jarrett Allen should replace: Khris Middleton
Khris Middleton was by far the biggest shock of the 2022 all-star ballot, being named a reserve frontcourt player despite not being in the top ten of fan voting. Khris has averaged 19.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists on 44.1 percent shooting from the field and 38.2 percent from beyond the arc.
His efficiency as a scorer has decreased when comparing this year and his last two seasons, with his FG% dropping over five percentage points while his shot attempts remain relatively similar. Ideally, his scoring would get easier with the continued improvement of Giannis Antetokounmpo, but Middleton has taken a backseat to Jrue Holiday, falling third fiddle in the Bucks’ big three.
When looking at both sides of the ball, Allen is much more essential to the Cavaliers’ success compared to Middleton’s impact on the Bucks. Jarrett Allen deserves an all-star spot for his play, and Middleton is the least deserving all-star that was named on Thursday.