When the Utah Jazz selected Grayson Allen with the 21st pick in last year's draft, they had a fairly good idea of the player they were getting: Allen was a four-year college player who wouldn't have a fairly high ceiling, but could probably become a serviceable bench player or even spot starter. Unfortunately, Allen didn't have a rookie season that impressed. He averaged only 5.6 points in 38 games, and never really stood out on a solid Jazz squad. However, Allen is still fairly young and could carve out a decent NBA career. Here are three things he should work on in order to take his game to the next level.
3-Point Shooting
Being able to hit the 3-pointer is an essential skill for guards in today's NBA. Allen impressed with his shooting touch at Duke, finishing his four years as a 38 percent shooter from downtown. The shooting did not translate to the NBA in his first year, and Allen shot a subpar 32 percent from three on almost three attempts per game. These numbers are not going to cut it if Allen wants to be a consistent player. While he may not ever be able to play a similar role as fellow Duke alum J.J. Reddick, Allen has shown that he can shoot the ball. Becoming a knockdown catch and shoot guard would make the Jazz give him more minutes, especially if Donovan Mitchell continues to be a streaky shooter from deep.
Playmaking Ability
Recently, news broke that the Jazz were not interested in resigning Ricky Rubio. If Rubio does not come back, that leaves a hole at the point guard position. Allen is not traditionally a point guard, but he is used to being one of the most used playmakers on his team from his time at Duke. In his last year of college, Allen raised his assist average from three to 4.6. He showed flashes of his talent by effectively passing out of the pick and roll and scoring on dribble-handoff plays. We have yet to see this in the NBA, where he averaged only 0.7 assists per game. With Rubio leaving, Mitchell and forward Joe Ingles become the Jazz's primary playmakers. If Allen works on this, he could become a solid third option.
Perimeter Defense
Allen is an excellent athlete, but his natural ability only occasionally transfers to his defense. He was frequently beaten on the perimeter by opposing guards, and he doesn't have the length to make up for his mistakes. However, Allen has shown some signs that he can become a decent defender. In his last year at Duke, he averaged an impressive 1.7 steals per game, proof that he can read opponents' passing lanes and is athletic enough to jump them. Right now, his defense on NBA-caliber players is not up to par, and it hurts his playing time. If he can become even a decent defender, head coach Quin Snyder might give him a little more leeway on the floor. He can then make a much bigger impact on the league. Player development is so much of the battle with Grayson Allen.
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