Picture this: February has arrived and the Cleveland Cavaliers have fallen considerably short of expectations. What is the natural move to make in this situation to try and save the season? It may just be trading Jarrett Allen.
Danny Cunningham floated the idea on a recent episode of Locked on Cavs. The Cavaliers reporter strayed from the existing thought of Darius Garland being the odd man out among the core pieces on the team, opting for Allen instead.
Cunningham said, "I don't think Jarrett Allen should be considered a core player. He's a very good player. ... A lot of teams would want to have Jarrett Allen. ... I think it is harder to thrive with [Allen and Evan Mobley] playing similar positions, than it is with two guards."
The Cavaliers reporter made the case for an offense built around Garland and Donovan Mitchell having higher upside than the overlap between Allen and Mobley continuing. Cunningham lobbied for changing some of the common stances on how the Cavaliers are viewed by fans and media.
Cavaliers are not a core four — making Jarrett Allen trade the natural move
Cunningham added another juicy stance for the Cavaliers. The notion of the core four was being dismissed in favor of Cleveland actually possessing a big three. Mitchell, Mobley, and Garland were identified as that trio. Allen was described as a 'high-end role player.'
For the Locked on Cavs host, this meant potentially exploring combinations and rotations that may not lean as heavily into featuring Allen. That would be especially be true in the case of any sort of lineups that were coming at the expense of maximizing Mobley.
However, if February arrives and the Cavaliers see the formula they have not getting the results they need, trading Allen could be the uncomfortable decision which the front office could face. The discussed overlap is obvious, but the extra details make the move even more straightforward.
Allen is entering the last year where his contract will be valued at $20 million before his new extension kicks in. This should make trading the Cavaliers center much simpler for a team navigating the restrictions of the second apron.
Opposing teams, who may be willing to overpay in a trade, would certainly value the short-term cap relief his contract offers. Even the three-year, $90.7 million extension is manageable for a player of his talents.
In a potential scenario of relative catastrophe, the Cavaliers can pivot that contract into a much-needed makeover for the roster, especially if that 15th spot remains open, and a two-for-one can be secured. It's good to have contingency plans in place, and this could be Cleveland's.