NBA Rumors: Cavs Starter Has Several Interested Trade Suitors

Jarrett Allen may have worn out his welcome in Ohio. Nonetheless, “numerous admirers” are ready to welcome the big man with open arms should the Cleveland Cavaliers put him on the trade block.

“Allen continues to have numerous admirers in rival front offices despite the whispers of frustration circulating in Cleveland surrounding (his) apparent reluctance to take a painkilling injection to address a rib injury that sidelined him for the Cavaliers’ final eight playoff games,” reports NBA insider Marc Stein.

Allen won’t fetch a king’s ransom, but he’s a very useful player.

His will to win is now in question, which is never good. However, refusing the injection isn’t necessarily evidence of his lack of toughness. To that point, he’s missed fewer than 15 games in all but one season. If hoping to avoid a more severe injury, Allen’s forward-thinking was unpopular but understandable.

Jarrett Allen to Have Several Offseason Trade Suitors

If the Cavs move Allen, several teams make sense as potential destinations. Chief among them are the Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans, Washington Wizards, and Chicago Bulls.

Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies have a major hole at center after trading away longtime starter Steven Adams this season. A team that’s thrived behind the Big Kiwi’s picks, Allen’s knack for creating screen assists is a great match for their current offensive scheme. In 2023-24, Allen averaged 4.0 screen assists, 11th in the league.

For comparison, in 2022-23, Adams averaged 5.6 screen assists per game.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Though Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren has proven to be an outstanding shot-blocker, Oklahoma City’s lack of size was impossible to overlook in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. The Thunder allowed just 41.2 points in the paint, the third-best mark in the league. However, outrebounded by both the Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks, Holmgren was often the only one battling for boards.

Allen would help a lot in this area, averaging 13.8 rebounds per game this postseason.

New Orleans Pelicans

Pelicans executive vice president David Griffin used to be the Cavs’ general manager. Allen was acquired by Cleveland after Griffin parted ways with the organization. Nonetheless, negotiations between the Cavs and Pels could go rather smoothly due to Griffin’s familiarity with the organization. A Texas native, heading to New Orleans also gets him closer to home.

Their motivation to trade for Allen? Improving their interior defense.

Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards have an intriguing stretch-five on their hands in Tristan Vukcevic. Nonetheless, his starting spot is far from cemented. That said, a deal sending Allen to D.C. could lead to Cleveland landing a future first round pick and a sizable trade exception that they can use down the line. This isn’t an ideal scenario but the wait-and-see approach could allow them to capitalize on another team’s misfortune.

Chicago Bulls

Similar to the Pelicans, the Bulls need a more mobile big man in the middle to improve their backline defense. However, what makes Chicago a particularly interesting destination is the possibility that they would move Zach LaVine in the deal. An elite 3-point threat, LaVine’s ability to play off of either Darius Garland or Donovan Mitchell is invaluable if one of them gets moved. Furthermore, because of the size of his salary, the Bulls would likely offer draft compensation as well.