How did the Houston Rockets not take over Jarrett Allen in the James Harden deal?

As soon as Kenny Atkinson split from the Brooklyn Nets on March 7 of last year, Jarrett Allen lost his starting spot to DeAndre Jordan. The move only lasted two games as a few days later we were in the middle of a nationwide shutdown. But it also crystallized Allen’s position with Brooklyn, which has continued this season.

Allen is heading to a restricted free agency this summer, and a contract extension wouldn’t have made sense in Brooklyn given their long-term engagement with compatriot Jordan. Due to his contract about to expire, Allen was willing to be at the center (no pun intended, really) of a trade for an incoming third star to join Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Obviously, the Nets deal landed James Harden, but the Houston Rockets decided do not to quote Allen for some inexplicable reason. Of course, the Nets probably would have been better with Allen than Jordan, but now they have Harden, so who cares?

According to Allen’s basketball reference page, the official four-team trade sees Allen go straight to Cleveland, which transferred a future second-round pick to Brooklyn, as well as a 2022 first-round and Dante Exum to the Houston Rockets. Maybe that’s because Tilman Fertitta should be reluctant to pay anyone in the long run, but the Rockets are not even likely to keep future 2021 free agent Victor Oladipo. So why didn’t the Rockets just pick up Allen instead of a future?

There was a time when Oladipo might have gotten a maximum contract or something extremely close, but given his production this season – especially with the Rockets – such a healthy deal would be unlikely, if not misguided. Allen is also not someone who should order a max contract, but judging by the offers. we have seen other centers obtain in recent years a significant expansion of some sort is likely in maps. Either way, Cleveland can’t afford not to keep the guys out unless another legendary Ohio native returns to save their franchise (which is actually improving).

But even after Harden, the Rockets didn’t have to take everything apart in an attempt to completely rebuild themselves. Hell, with John Wall contract, you probably couldn’t. With Oladipo, the DeMarcus Cousins ​​released, and the addition of Christian Wood, you weren’t really engaged in a full-fledged rebuild anyway. Allen, 22, would not only have been better spent this summer, but he would also have been a perfect addition to Wall and Wood beyond this season, as well as the more Oladipo collection this season.

Allen averaged 14.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks with the Cavaliers. He also achieved 67% of his field goals and managed 3 of 6 of three, teasing a long range shot he rarely used in Brooklyn. but still tried to develop. He has an absurdly offensive rating of 137 and is a seamless backing piece next to Sexland – the young Cleveland backcourt of Collin Sexton and Darius Garland. Allen is the perfect center for rim racing, defensive spirit and efficient offense for today’s game, and alongside a face-up stretch-four like Wood, the Rockets could have secured an area forward for years to come.

The irony is that Allen showed the Rockets up close last night, scoring 26 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks on 10 of 11 shots.