Trading a player is a difficult task. One team likely values that player extremely highly, while other teams have to negotiate the cost down while also outbidding everyone else. Each team has different needs, different financial situations, different roster constructions. The better a player is, the trickier it is to find a deal that works for all parties.
That fact is going to make it difficult for the Cleveland Cavaliers to trade All-Star center Jarrett Allen. Koby Altman and the front office are listening to trade offers, and considering the option of moving the big man, but finding the right trade partner and securing the right return package is easier said than done.
Who makes sense as a Jarrett Allen trade partner?
Looking around the league, there are a few teams that tried to secure a starting center this summer but failed to do so. Could that increase the leverage of the Cavaliers in a trade? Those teams may already have come calling with trade offers to pry Allen away from the Cavs.
One such team are the Houston Rockets, who went after Brook Lopez in free agency, only for him to re-sign with the Milwaukee Bucks. They pivoted to sign Jock Landale to a surprisingly lucrative contract, but they can move on from him after the first year. Locking down a defensive anchor for the next few seasons could be an extremely attractive option for them.
What kind of trade could the Cavaliers work out with the Rockets? Let’s lay out one potential option that pulls in a third team to prevent a reunion no one wants, and lands a do-it-all youngster in Cleveland.