3 Realistic Trajectories for Jarrett Allen’s 2026-27 Season to Take

Since arriving in Cleveland during the 2020-21 season, Jarrett Allen has been an absolute staple. He’s been the man in the middle for the Cavs making it happen on both ends. He’s been a fan favorite, waiving to folks with Sir CC before every home game. Yelling “YEAHHHHHH” emphatically after every defensive three seconds is called against the team.

Allen, entering his seventh year with the team now, still has plenty to show. He’s still just 28 years of age after all, the time when athletes usually start their primes.

There are a few different trajectories that his campaign could take, and we’re going to explore all three of them here. Let’s go.

Number 1: Keeps Things Rolling

Jarrett Allen has been an All-Star once in this league, and it happened back in 2021-22. His first full year with the organization saw the big man playing very good basketball on a playoff-caliber team. He hasn’t been invited back to the midseason showdown since then, and that’s honestly fine.

Allen has been a model of consistently high field-goal percentage and high-efficiency shot attempts for a long time. There’s the route where he keeps that up, and gets his scoring up even higher than in 2025-26. He averaged 15.4 ppg a year ago, not too far off his career-high. The 8.5 boards per game were slightly lower from the norm, so this could also jump.

The team’s addition of Peyton Watson to the starting five provides a lot more height. It will make Allen’s life on defense a bit easier, and perhaps allow him to have the energy to do just a bit more on the offensive side. In this scenario, he would just keep his play steady as a top-12 center in the league and hold down the paint on both sides of the floor.

Number 2: A Regression

There is also the world where Jarrett Allen struggles this coming season. He has been able to do what the team has needed for 5.5 years, but perhaps it changes now. The new personnel groups may mean the team decided on some lineup changes.

The major issue with Allen, whether things are good or bad, is the lack of consistent touches. They went 11-2 when he scored 20+ points last season, but the issue is the small number of times he was able to get there.

If Allen isn’t demanding the ball, he will go long stretches without touches, which could lead to the regression.

All-time they are 64-25 when The Fro drops 20 points, so the recipe has been clear how to win. If that regression does come, well… Peyton Watson can play PF, along with Mario Hezonja, meaning it could be more Evan Mobley center minutes. Making Allen’s minutes, well, expendable.

Number 3: A Deadline Deal

Having been discussed in trade rumors for seemingly two years now, it would not be the biggest shock in the world if the Cavs did choose to trade Jarrett Allen. Of course, they would be justified in doing so, if they truly believe that Evan Mobley is more of a center. Whether he’s big enough or not to play the position full-time remains the topic of conversation.

It would be less about Jarrett Allen’s ability and more about what the one thing he doesn’t do. Allen still isn’t much of a 3PT shooter, and maybe the team will want to just get faster and be able to go five-out more. Peyton Watson, as mentioned above, could handle heavy PF mins. At 6 '9, 260-lbs, Mario Hezonja can also handle some run there.

Now, the Allen and Mobley duo has proven itself to be elite already. But maybe that’s not enough. Perhaps the front office looks at the situation and decides to sell high on their starting center, who has three years and $90 million left on his contract.

It would be a sad day to see The Fro on the move, but if that’s what the team did decide, well, that would be it. A salute, a nod, and then moving right on.

In Summary

Any of the three scenarios above could come true for Jarrett Allen in 2026-27. He could play like an All-Star. He could lose some touches, lose a little offensive aggression, and see a dip in production across the board.

Perhaps an All-Star berth and statistics bump even awaits the big man.

Whatever the case, he opens the year as the starting center again, excited for another go-aounr in Cleveland.

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