Grade the Trade: Cavaliers pull off wild deal with Warriors in latest proposal

Everyone is ready for the Cleveland Cavaliers to push their chips into the middle. Donovan Mitchell is on board, this group won 51 games this past season, and it’s time to take whatever swings necessary to compete for a title next year.

There are some avenues available to tinker around the edges, but the best path to adding a true difference-maker at small forward is to trade Jarrett Allen. The Cavs could try to convince Jerami Grant to come in a sign-and-trade or break Allen into multiple players to fill more spots in the rotation.

The Cavaliers can take a big swing and still be patient.

What if the Cavs did trade Jarrett Allen, but did so to make the team better in two or three years instead of next season? If Allen is their best trade piece (assuming there is no shot they trade one of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell or Evan Mobley) what if the Cavlaiers use him to build a core of five players, but one young enough to continue growing together?

This wild trade idea, courtesy of Fanspo.com, has the Cavs link up with the Golden State Warriors and the Utah Jazz. As the Warriors use their young players to get back win-now veterans, the Cavaliers will lean into the youth of their core by adding two players who could be difference-makers down the line.

Does this deal make sense? To answer that question, let’s first look at the details of the trade.