The Cleveland Cavaliers have a lot of questions to answer this postseason, but the biggest is what to do with Jarrett Allen in a trade.
The Cleveland Cavaliers enter the offseason sooner than they expected. Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers lost to the Indiana Pacers in five games in the second round. Injuries played a big factor in the series, but Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers were dominant.
The Cavs have plenty of questions to answer this summer. Will they pay for Ty Jerome’s new contract and risk the penalties of the first and second aprons? Is a backcourt of Darius Garland and Mitchell good enough for them to win a title? Perhaps the biggest question of them all is about their starting center. Is a Jarrett Allen trade the right move?
Allen made his first All-Star team last season and is one of the better players in the league at his position. However, his numbers, both in the regular season and playoffs, are underwhelming. That, combined with the emergence of Evan Mobley, has fans wondering whether or not Allen is the perfect fit on their roster. Mobley isn’t a good enough shooter(yet) to play primarily on the perimeter and Allen clogs the paint on that end.
Cleveland has time to make their decision and even longer to find the right trade partner. In the meantime, here are three teams that would be the best fit for Allen if he is moved.
1. Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors also went home in the second round in a five-game series. Their offseason plan is still in its early stages, but they know what they are looking for. According to reports from ESPN, the Warriors will look for a playmaking wing or a center this summer. Allen isn’t the former, but he would be a great fit down low for Golden State.
Throughout their series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Warriors struggled in the paint. They had no answer for Rudy Gobert or Julius Randle, who dominated the interior on both ends. Golden State trotted out the small-ball lineups that defined their dynasty, but Draymond Green doesn’t look like he can hold his own against bigger centers anymore.
Allen unlocks a lot of possibilities for Steve Kerr’s lineup if he joins the Warriors. He is a high-level defender capable of providing a physical match against the talented centers in the Western Conference. Offensively, he can keep pace in transition and gives Stephen Curry something he hasn’t had in a while; a lob threat.
A package for any big Golden State trade would feature Jonathan Kuminga. However, the Warriors’ general manger said that he won’t rush into a deal involving his young players. If Allen is on the table, though, he might not have time to mull things over.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers were the first team to fall at the hands of the Timberwolves. While the Lakers’ rotations and the conditioning of their players were the biggest problems, they had the same issues as Golden State. Gobert had his way in Minnesota’s series-clinching win, notching 27 points and 24 rebounds in a 103-96 victory.
Los Angeles is another team searching for an answer at center. They traded for Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets after acquiring Luka Doncic before the trade deadline, but the deal didn’t hold up. Williams failed his physical and the Lakers rescinded the trade. That left Jaxson Hayes as Los Angeles’ sole option at center.
One of the things that made Doncic so effective with the Dallas Mavericks was the fact that Jason Kidd’s rotations never left him without a lob-catching center. Having at least one could be the key to the Lakers’ success next season. If they want Allen, Austin Reaves will likely be the first player the Cavs ask for.
Los Angeles has said that they don’t want to give up their young scorer, but they might change their mind. Allen is 27 years old while Doncic is just 26. Trading for the Cavs’ center forms a duo that could lead the Lakers for years to come.
3. Phoenix Suns
In all likelihood, the Phoenix Suns will trade away Kevin Durant this summer. While a one-for-one deal including him and Allen is off the table for the Cavs, they could get a third team involved to make the deal happen. Devin Booker wants to stay with the Suns for the entirety of his career, but the team needs a new co-star alongside him.
Bradley Beal’s contract is one of the worst in recent NBA history. Having that much money committed to a player they can’t trade without their blessing puts them in a tough position. However, their fans expect a bounce back season after they failed to make it into the Play-In Tournament in the Western Conference.
Phoenix is on the outside looking in at the arms race in the Western Conference. Fortunately for them, Booker is a player that others want to play with and Durant will fetch them a big return this summer. After making that deal, they will have a surplus of assets to move in order to retool their roster yet again.
Once again, both Booker’s and Allen’s ages are a perfect fit. If the Suns pull him from the Cavs, Phoenix would have the duo that could lead them on another deep playoff run.
Zachary Howell is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints focusing on creating premier MLB content. He is a big fan of the Yankees, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Syracuse Orange.
