Cavs: Jarrett Allen emerging as team leader following Collin Sexton injury

Jarrett Allen is stepping up as a leader in wake of Collin Sexton’s injury.

Since LeBron James left, the Cavs have been devoid of a true leader. It’s been one of the big issues plaguing the team since the start of the 2018-2019 season. Not only has no player stepped up, but the constant turnover in head coaches hasn’t helped. In the span of two years the Cavaliers had four different head coaches. Usually, it’s the coaches that help propel a player to “leadership status”, either by mentoring them or by assigning them captain status. This may explains why the Cavs haven’t had a true leader since James, but with the Cavs hot start to their 2021-2022 season, that appears to be an issue of the past. Enter Jarrett Allen.

Allen is having a phenominal start to his season. The Cavs aren’t running their offense through any one person anymore, which has helped the team to have eight playes either averaging double-digit points, or close to. Allen is one of those guys and arguably the best player on the Cavs’ roster.

Allen is putting up just shy of 15 points and just shy of 12 rebounds per-game, all while shooting 69% from the floor. His improved play on the court has been very noticable but one of the things that has been going under the radar is how he’s becoming the go-to player off the court as well.

Collin Sexton’s injury prompts Jarrett Allen into the leadership role

Th Cavs lost Collin Sexton for potentially two months, if not more,  due to a minisicus tear in his knee. That was seen as a huge blow for the Cavaliers but Allen seems to be midigatign the fallout that comes with a major injury to a key player.

Not only are the Cavaliers remaining calm but Allen seems to be saying and doing all the right things invovling Sexton. Keeping the team and Sexton’s morale up. Speaking to Evan Dammervil of Fear The Sword, Allen revealed that when they go out on the court without the young guard, that the Cavs would still play like Sexton was out there.

"It’s devastating for me as a friend, as a teammate, it’s hard to see him go down… But, he’s going to definitely be with us. We’re going to go out there and match his energy and carry him with us."

The Cavs have the Wizards on Wednesday night, and they’re a top team in the East at the moment. Both Cleveland and Washington are teams with no consistency yet. It’s a new season and they’re  both trying to prove what they’ll be.

Having someone like Allen, who seems to have the same “let’s get to work” temperment of a Tim Duncan, may be the exact thing this Cavaliers team needs to get through adversity when it arrives.