Year in Review: 5 key moments that changed the Cavs in 2021

5 key moments that changed the Cavs in 2021 – 1. Trading for Jarrett Allen

The 2020-21 NBA season began in late December of 2020, and one of the key storylines was how badly James Harden was trying to pout his way out of Houston. By the second week of January his strategy had worked, and Harden was heading to the Brooklyn Nets.

The Nets needed to include center Jarrett Allen to provide enough value, but the Houston Rockets had just signed Christian Wood and didn’t want Allen. Enter the Cleveland Cavaliers, who jumped in and traded a first-round pick and Dante Exum for Allen and Taurean Prince.

It was a curious move for Cleveland, which was already trying to find enough time for Andre Drummond and JaVale McGee. Yet Koby Altman and the front office didn’t get bogged down by the present, instead looking to a future with Allen locking down the paint and catching lobs from Darius Garland.

It took a few weeks for the Cavs to shift from trying to mash Allen and Drummond together to sitting Drummond to let Allen shine. Since joining the Cavs the 6’11” center has averaged  14.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks while shooting 64.6 percent from the field. Trading for Allen did mean giving up a pick and committing to a large contract, but Allen has played about as well as one could hope for and helped to change this team’s identity inside.