The New Orleans Pelicans could potentially have veteran guard Tony Allen back for their game against the Denver Nuggets on Friday, per Jim Eichenhofer. Allen has missed the Pelicans’ last three games due to knee inflammation.

Allen, a famed defensive stopper who signed in New Orleans as a free agent this summer, is averaging 4.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in 13.5 minutes through 12 games this season. The Pelicans didn’t exactly miss Allen, though, as they went 2-1 in their three home games without him.

Allen will now return to a suddenly crowded Pelicans backcourt after Rajon Rondo finally made his season debut during Allen’s absence. Rondo made the start in the Pelicans’ loss to the Toronto Raptors, pushing E’Twaun Moore to the bench.

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After playing 14 minutes against Toronto, Gentry plans to play Rondo around 20-24 minutes against the Nuggets, per Eichenhofer.

Moore had been playing very well prior to getting pushed to the bench. He put up 18.3 points on 67 percent shooting, with 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists over a three-game stretch.

Apart from Moore, Allen will also have to compete for playing time off the Pelicans’ bench with Darius Miller, who has scored 34 points on 12-of-16 shooting (7-of-10 from beyond the arc) over his last two games.