Jarrett Allen to miss at least two weeks with left ankle bruise

The Cleveland Cavaliers say they will be without Jarrett Allen for at least two weeks.

Per an announcement from the team, Allen “sustained a left ankle bruise in practice recently.” Allen, the Cavs say, underwent an MRI to confirm the injury and will be reevaluated in two weeks.

Allen’s absence likely leaves Cleveland without their starting center for the entire preseason. Cleveland has four games in the next two weeks — including one this Tuesday in Atlanta — that Allen will miss. Cleveland could opt to start Evan Mobley at center, perhaps putting Georges Niang or Dean Wade in the starting five at the power forward. They could also put Damian Jones or Tristan Thompson in at center to keep continuity and have another big on the floor with Mobley to start games. Perhaps Isaiah Mobley gets extended burn in the preseason too.

It is not known at this time exactly when or how Allen’s injury occurred.

The silver lining here is that Allen, if he only misses two weeks, could be back by the regular season opener on Oct. 25 when the Cavs play the Brooklyn Nets. It’s also the preseason — if there’s a time to have a starting center miss two weeks, it’s in the preseason before the games that count start.

Allen, 25, played in 68 last season, averaging 14.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Last season marked his second full year with the Cavs after being acquired by Cleveland during the 2020-21 season from the Brooklyn Nets as part of the trade that sent James Harden to Brooklyn.