When I heard the news that the Cleveland Cavaliers had agreed with their center Jarrett Allen on a new contract worth $100 million over the next five seasons, I was happy. On the one hand, he’s a good young player and has a lot of upside moving forward with the Cavs. However, on the other hand, I was floored as to the high dollar amount awarded to Allen.
Allen started his career with the Brooklyn Nets when he was drafted by them in 2017. His four year, $10 million contract back then now seems ridiculously low compared to the whopper of a deal he just struck with the Cavs.
I get it. I recognize the Cavs’ desire to keep a young player like Allen, who’s only 23 years old, to grow and develop with the young core of other Cavaliers like Collin Sexton, Darius Garland and Isaac Okoro. By paying way more then he probably is due is understandable to some degree. Centers and big men are hard to find these days in the NBA. I still contend that establishing a core in the paint and to build around is really the best way to get better quickly in the league.
With the addition of newly drafted 7-foot big man, Evan Mobley, out of USC by the Cavs, the attraction to securing these two in the paint for the Cavs over the next several years is very appealing. I just don’t believe paying Allen what they are now is really the best move by the Cavs considering they could have paid him far less in the end.
This new contract now moves Allen into the top of the charts as far as best paid NBA centers. Rudy Gobert, the star center with the Utah Jazz now makes $35.3 million. Allen has moved to 8th in the league at $17.2 million.
1) The contract the Cavs gave to Jarrett Allen stands out when you compare the new versus the old
I’m not one to argue or disagree much with others. I understand the idea here by the Cavs in signing Allen to a longer and very pricey deal is kind of the going rate for such moves. I just believe it’s wrong to pay a 23-year-old or any ball player in the NBA that kind of money. You quickly understand that the NBA is very rich and if you have the funds then go ahead and spend. And spend they do.
Allen’s original contract paid him $3.9 million last season. This new contract will have him making around $17.2 million this year. By year five, that salary jumps to $22.8 million. Wow! Right? I’m getting a nice 5% raise on my next contract where I work but I’m not an NBA basketball player, so I’ll still be going to the grocery store and watching my budget as I shop. I have several of my own children that are in their 20’s now. If they had $17 million to play with, I’d be scared at what they might do with it. I hope Allen has a good accountant.