5 Cleveland Cavaliers that could be traded this season

The Cavaliers’ ideal starting lineup contains three former All-Stars, one rising phenom in Evan Mobley and the Cavs’ secret weapon in Max Strus. That lineup has been dominant when it takes the court and will likely lead the team to a number of wins if and when they can all get on the court together.

At some point, however, Cleveland may come to the conclusion that their core doesn’t quite fit together well enough to compete for a championship. It’s a difficult task to win in the modern NBA with two non-shooters on the court, and it’s hard to justify paying Jarrett Allen $20 million per year if he’s going to get pulled in crunchtime in favor of a more balanced lineup, especially since they likely need to use Allen to get enough player to consistently go “small” late in games.

The Cavaliers have leaned on Allen for his defensive impact and his hard screen-setting and finishing; they have also struggled due to his mediocre rebounding and lack of shooting. He’s without question a positive part of their starting group, but if they are going to maximize Evan Mobley’s impact in the coming years, it may come at the cost of playing time for Allen.

There are a handful of teams who would likely pay up for a two-way center who walls off the paint as well as Allen does, but his market would certainly be smaller than a comparable player at a different position. Allen is position-locked at center, so a team has to have a need at the 5 to justify the cost. Could he return a pair of first-round picks? A true 3-and-D wing? The Cavs need to avoid “selling low” while also finding a return that helps them build a more versatile rotation; that’s no easy task.