The most important player on each and every NBA team this season

By Ti Windisch | Aug 28, 2018

CLEVELAND, OH - JUNE 08: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers defended by Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on June 8, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 3: Jarrett Allen #31 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on April 3, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Brooklyn Nets – Jarrett Allen

Most NBA teams seem adverse to building around big men who don’t really shoot 3s in the era of pac- and-space basketball, but the Brooklyn Nets may be one of the exceptions to that rule. After all, Jarrett Allen is the most important Net.

Allen had a nice rookie year in Brooklyn, averaging 8.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. The rook shot 58.9 percent from the field and did can 33.3 percent of his 3-point attempts, although he only made a grand total of five triples.

That’s fine; Brooklyn should be happy about Allen staying near the basket. That’s where the skilled big man is going to do his best work in the NBA, and the Nets are not shy about surrounding him with all the shooting they possibly can.

Two of those shooters, D’Angelo Russell and Caris LeVert, are both considered important as well. Both players have some real potential, but Allen is two years younger than Russell and nearly four years younger than LeVert. He’s got more time to become a true impact player than either of those two, even if both of them end up having nice careers.

The harsh truth about Brooklyn is that nobody on the roster has all that much importance to the team’s future. The Nets have been starving for lottery picks for years, and will finally have a chance to earn some of their own again.

Whoever Brooklyn takes in the NBA Draft over the next few seasons should have more impact than anybody around at the moment, unless Allen or one of the other Nets really clicks.

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