Ranking 5 lucrative trade packages for Cavaliers to deal Allen for

Trade No. 2: Jarrett Allen for Tari Eason

The number of trade suitors who would still be in the mix for Jarrett Allen is certainly limited. They need a hole at center, reasonable matching salary and something of value that meets the Cavaliers’ needs. After the draft and free agency, that list is shorter.

One team that may have been added to the list after free agency is Houston; the Rockets struck out on their center targets and ended up handing a large deal to reserve center Jock Landale. They are likely still looking for a long-term defensive option at the 5 to pair with the offense-oriented Alperen Sengun.

That led to us building this trade idea: the Rockets get Jarrett Allen, the Utah Jazz take on Kevin Porter Jr., and the Cavaliers get Tari Eason and Kelly Olynyk.

The Rockets do the deal because they have a glut of guards and just signed Dillon Brooks to a massive contract to start; that makes both Kevin Porter Jr. and Tari Eason expendable. They get their starting center, and the Jazz get to add a guard at the expense of their fifth-big.

The Cavaliers get a center to replace Allen for at least this season, and the jewel of the deal is Tari Eason. He looks like a special two-way player, especially after tearing up Las Vegas Summer League ahead of his second season. The pairing with Evan Mobley would be exceptional. Eason is the kind of player who is underrated enough to be available in an Allen deal, but who could be an All-Defense candidate in just a year or two.