Open Thread: Conference Finals cont’d. (Bonus: Roster Review, Center edition)

We’re back with Roster Review part five of five, the Center edition… let’s dive in!

Jarrett Allen

It’s weird to write about Jarrett Allen with the looming chance that the Cleveland Cavaliers might replace him with Evan Mobley but regardless, Allen came in and showed that he has the ability to be a legitimate starting center now and in the future for the Cavs. He’s one of only a couple of players on the roster (Larry Nance Jr. being the other) that could actually find rotation minutes on a playoff team. Unfortunately for Allen, Evan Mobley brings elite defense to the table along with the type of playmaking, skill, and touch that sets him apart from a guy such as Allen.

Outside of the draft, another factor that complicates Allen’s roster status and future is his own looming restricted free agency. The market has cratered on defensive bigs with limited offensive upside over the past couple of years, and decent bigs such as Jakob Poeltl and Nerlens Noel can be found for minimal expense. At the beginning of the offseason there were reports that Allen’s seeking something possibly north of 100 million dollars total, and that there are multiple teams that could pursue him. Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported that Brooklyn had offered four years at 48 million dollars total that Allen declined. Jarrett Allen’s free agency will surely be one of the most fascinating stories to watch about the Cavs and NBA at large. Luckily for the Cavs, they don’t have to make a decision about Allen until after the draft.

Isaiah Hartenstein

Hard Rock Hartendimes was another feel good story for the Cavs on the margins of the roster. The 23 year old German American showed he could play legit NBA defense with some elite rim protection (7.1% block percentage, 97th percentile in the NBA) and solid defensive playmaking overall, and also established himself surprisingly as one of the best passers on the roster (23.5 assist ratio in 16 games with the Cavs). Hard Rock credited NBA MVP Nikola Jokić for the development of his playmaking.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Chris Fedor reported a few weeks ago that Hard Rock will likely opt out of his player option and become a free agent, which is a smart move on his part because he could easily triple his 1.7 million dollar 2021-22 option on the open market. Fedor also reported that Hard Rock would like to stay with the Cavs in a multi-year deal. One has to think the draft and Jarrett Allen’s pending free agency could make Hard Rock expendable to indispensable in short order depending on what happens with those two events.

Mfiondu Kabengele

Consider yours truly a fan of underdog Mfiondu Kabengele. The stats show an energy small ball center who can protect the rim well (3.9% block percentage, 87th percentile in the NBA) and generally hold up on defense and on the boards. He also showed a willingness to stretch the floor by letting his three ball fly, and although he wasn’t particularly a knock-down shooter (28.1% from three in 16 games for the Cavs), he shows fantastic shooting touch at the free throw line for his career (21 for 25, 84%). As a third string center, Kabengele is absolutely worth a look-see to find out if he can develop into a rotation big with potential stretch ability on offense.