What happened to Jarrett Allen? Exploring latest buzz surrounding Cavaliers' big man

Jarrett Allen and the Cleveland Cavaliers are eagerly awaiting the start of the 2023-24 NBA season. However, the team's preseason is set to begin against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, they will be without Allen. According to reports which emerged this weekend, Jarrett Allen suffered a left ankle bone bruise during practice this week, and as a result, will now miss the next two weeks of team activities.

Fortunately for the Cavaliers' organization and its fans, the team's regular season opener isn't scheduled until October 25th.

As such, Jarrett Allen will have two and a half weeks from today to recover enough to compete against the Brooklyn Nets on 25th October. A statement released by the organization and relayed by Sports Illustrated reads:

"Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen sustained a left ankle bone bruise in practice recently, An MRI at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health yesterday confirmed the injury, and he will begin a period of treatment and rehabilitation. Allen will be re-evaluated in two weeks and his status will be updated as appropriate."

Looking at Jarrett Allen's recovery timeline, and the impact it could have on Cleveland Cavaliers' season

Although Jarrett Allen will have two and a half weeks to recover before the start of the season, the timeline could change. Of course, as NBA fans around the league are well aware, bone bruises are often some of the most tricky to predict.

In the case of bone bruises, Sports Injury Central explains that sometimes the cartilage surrounding the bone is also damaged, and at times is even beyond repair. In the case of Lonzo Ball, who had a bone bruise on his knee, despite having surgery to repair a torn meniscus, Ball has continued to deal with lingering problems.

Although Allen's bone bruise isn't in the knee, the fact of the matter remains that the timeline for his return could change over the next few weeks. In Allen's absence, coach JB Bickerstaff will have to get creative with the team's lineups.

With Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, and Evan Mobley all expected to start at the 1-4 positions, Damian Jones is the next man up on the depth chart. Behind him is Cavaliers legend Tristan Thompson, who could also wind up getting playing time depending on Allen's situation.

As the team looks to bounce back from a disappointing 2022-23 season that saw them eliminated from the playoffs early, Allen's availability will be a major talking point. Should he bounce back, the Cavaliers could be in for a big season.

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