How the Cavs believe Jarrett Allen will help ‘unlock’ Darius Garland

In the four-team trade that happened last month which sent James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets, the Cleveland Cavaliers ended up acquiring Jarrett Allen from the Nets, to go with Taurean Prince.

Allen, who was averaging 11.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game mostly off the bench then for Brooklyn, looks to be an immediate force and impact contributor for the Cavs. And with Andre Drummond sidelined on Monday in what was the second leg of a back-to-back versus the Minnesota Timberwolves because of lower back soreness, Allen got the starting nod.

He was outstanding in that one, too, en route to having 23 points, 18 rebounds and five blocks, and while Drummond could seemingly be traded by the deadline, per recent reports/rumors, conversely, Allen looks to clearly be Cleveland’s long-term future at the 5.

One of the things that he can do is help make others around him better, like Darius Garland, and the Cavs reportedly envision that with Allen, in particular, per these comments from Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor. This was after Allen seemingly touched on how him and Garland can be quite the duo, for further context, via Fedor.

"“Allen said the next step is for him and Garland to build chemistry away from the court. It can be a symbiotic relationship, one of the most lethal pick-and-roll partnerships, similar to what Allen and former Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving once created in Brooklyn. That’s what the Cavs pictured when making the deal, believing Allen would help unlock part of Garland’s dormant offensive package.”"

Those comments highlighted how Allen and Garland could, again, be a big-time Cavs PnR duo.

Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen can become a great pick-and-roll duo in the NBA. Allen was doing this back in Brooklyn with Kyrie Irving, as Fedor hit on. From a Cleveland Cavaliers’ standpoint, Garland is averaging 16.1 points per game on 46.0 percent shooting, to go with 5.3 assists per outing.

And Garland’s game can improve in many ways, but with Allen now on the Cavs, the potential for Garland has broken another barrier; him helping “unlock” Garland is telling, really. Plus, Fedor stressed how Collin Sexton, who will benefit from Garland’s passing, for one, will be aided by Allen looking onward, as opposed to Drummond, too.

"“More of a lob threat than Drummond, Allen’s elite screening also makes it easier for Garland and Sexton to generate offense. Allen doesn’t need post touches or face-up opportunities, that style organically opening the lane for the dynamic tandem to attack off the dribble, giving them freedom they don’t always have.”"

Allen can help Garland become a triple threat and make significant plays to help the Cavaliers for years to come, one would hope.

And on top of that, while it hasn’t been long that the two have been teammates, it seems that Garland and Allen already have a great chemistry.

That should hopefully aid shooters such as Cedi Osman, Taurean Prince and Dylan Windler and perhaps others more as the two get more burn together, too, one would think.