Cavs: Ranking the roster from least to most untouchable

Cavs: Ranking the roster from least to most untouchable – Sexton and Allen

Collin Sexton

If this was a ranking of the most talented players on the team, or the most productive, or even the most fun to watch, Collin Sexton would be much higher on the list. As a ranking of players the team could decide to move in a trade, Sexton falls here, first among the team’s “Top 6” young players.

That’s not meant to be a knock on Sexton, but rather an acknowledgment that the team is in a difficult position with their talented young guard. They could absolutely sign him to a contract extension and build their offense around him. They could also decide that he and Garland are a poor combination long-term and move him by the Trade Deadline to let another team pay him.

Whatever they decide to do, it is important to receive fair value in return. Sexton is young and continues to improve every season, so they can’t afford to merely dump him. Finding the right trade partner will be difficult, but if they do find one then it’s not crazy to see Sexton in a new destination this time next year.

Jarrett Allen

The idea that the Cleveland Cavaliers would trade Jarrett Allen is somewhat far-fetched on the surface. They traded a first-round pick and took on the salary of Taurean Prince to bring him in, then re-signed him to a top-of-market deal worth $100 million over five seasons. They clearly value him and his place on the team.

The big picture casts a slightly different light on the possibility. Evan Mobley was drafted to be the future of the Cavs, and long-term his best fit is as a versatile center. The Cavs are already committed to paying Lauri Markkanen over $15 million per season. Eventually, as players like Sexton and Darius Garland hit their paydays, this roster will get too expensive. Allen makes sense as a player to move to free up space to keep everyone else, and give Mobley room to grow.