Jarrett Allen took two three-pointers Sunday night against the Orlando Magic. He made one.
Under ordinary circumstances, a center going 1-for-2 from beyond the arc wouldn't warrant much attention. But when that center is Allen, whose offensive comfort zone has traditionally extended about as far as the restricted area, it's enough to entertain a rather intriguing possibility.
What if the Cleveland Cavaliers had their own version of Brook Lopez?
Brook Lopez wasn't always a three-point shooter, either
It's easy to forget that Lopez spent the first eight seasons of his NBA career doing almost everything except shooting threes. He attempted just 31 during that entire stretch. Then, seemingly overnight, he reinvented himself. During the 2016-17 season, Lopez attempted 387 three-pointers and connected on 34.6% of them.
Interestingly, Kenny Atkinson was coaching Brooklyn when Lopez began that transformation. Lopez eventually became a championship-winning center in Milwaukee, combining legitimate perimeter shooting with his established rim protection.
There's already a strong argument that Jarrett Allen has become one of the NBA's most underrated players. He's an excellent interior defender, a reliable rebounder and a player Cleveland can trust to protect the basket.
The question is whether he can borrow one more page from Lopez's playbook.
Jarrett Allen has a much longer way to go than Lopez did
Now, before we start celebrating Cleveland's newest sharpshooter, there's an important distinction.
Lopez also wasn't learning to shoot from scratch. He had already developed a dependable post game and midrange touch before extending his range to the three-point line.
Allen? Well, let's just say nobody's ever confused him with Stephen Curry. His offensive identity revolves around dunks, putbacks, screens and finishing opportunities created by his guards. He attempted only 11 threes during the 2025-26 regular season, making one.
One.
So nobody's asking Allen to become Brook Lopez overnight. But Brook Lopez Lite? That's a version of Cleveland's center worth dreaming about.
Jarrett Allen developing a three-point shot could transform Cleveland's offense
Imagine Donovan Mitchell and James Harden attacking a defense that suddenly has to account for Allen standing behind the arc. Opposing big men would face a difficult choice. Stay near the basket and risk giving up an open three, or follow Allen to the perimeter and leave Mitchell and Harden with more room to attack.
Evan Mobley could benefit, too. With Allen occasionally spacing the floor, Mobley would have additional opportunities to operate inside without another defender waiting near the rim.
Cleveland could even experiment with five-out lineups without sacrificing Allen's defensive presence.
Of course, there's a catch.
Defenses aren't going to abandon the paint because Allen made one preseason three-pointer. He'd have to demonstrate enough consistency and willingness to make opponents reconsider leaving him open.
And Cleveland shouldn't sacrifice his exceptional finishing or pick-and-roll chemistry with Harden to make that happen. Allen doesn't need to attempt six threes a night. He just needs opponents to start believing he might.
Maybe Sunday's experiment becomes nothing more than a preseason curiosity. Or perhaps it represents the beginning of a modest addition to an already valuable player's repertoire.
Either way, for a Cavaliers team searching for every possible championship advantage, it's an experiment worth encouraging.
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