Three large trades significantly shifted the Cleveland Cavaliers' late regular season dynamics before the 2026 trade deadline sounded.
Starting with trading De'Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, Cleveland reformed the bench unit with a pair of two-way role players, dropping roughly $9 million in salary in the process. The Cavs had added Hunter a year earlier at the last deadline, but his disappointing performances in Cleveland pushed the team to navigate the second apron penalties by dealing the 6-foot-8 wing.
Cleveland followed the Hunter trade with the largest blockbuster deal since adding Donovan MItchell in 2022. In exchange for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, James Harden joined the Cavaliers to form an elite backcourt with Mitchell.
FInally, the Cavaliers traded Lonzo Ball and two second-round picks to the Utah Jazz to clear cap space and a roster spot to sign Nae'Qwan Tomlin to a standard contract. In one week, Cleveland rebuilt much of the complementary cast around a new-look star core.
In the midst of the Cavs' busy trade season, rumors emerged that the Cavaliers were eyeing trade offers for big man Jarrett Allen. The former All-Star center garnered interest from numerous teams, but eventually kept Allen in town.
According to Jake Fischer on The Stein Line, Cleveland had the opportunity to deal Allen to division rival Indiana Pacers before the deadline.
"Sources say Indiana called about 28-year-old Jarrett Allen, who is in the midst of a three-year, $90 million agreement in Cleveland."Jake Fischer
Indiana eventually traded for Ivica Zubac of the LA Clippers in exchange for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson and draft capital. The most interesting piece of the trade is the Pacers' 2026 first-round pick, protected 1-4 and 10-30. Between picks 5-9, the Clippers get ownership. The perplexing compensation would have translated to an unprotected 2029 first-round pick if it did not convey this summer.
Zubac is a one year older than Allen and is owed $500,000 less than Allen this season. Both are traditional centers, offering solid defense and interior offense, but neither one provides floor spacing.
Indiana's trade offer was the wrong deal for Cleveland
The Cavaliers are thriving with Allen and Harden right now, going 3-0 with both players posting mulitple double-doubles in that time. Clearly, the Cavs made the right decision to pass on the Indiana offer.
Fischer did not detail what the Pacers offered the Cavaliers, but with the similarities in age, pay and skill set between Allen and Zubac, the eventual trade to land the LA center is likely a solid baseline. Earlier this year, we discussed the potential of swapping Allen for Mathurin when rumors first surfaced that the young wing was on the trade block.
In hindsight, Mathurin's fit in Cleveland is much less exciting than it seemed in the middle of the early season's slump. The Cavaliers need energy and grit, two skills Mathurin provides, but the Cavs found that in Schroder and Ellis.
If the Cavaliers had not added two reliable two-way players ahead of an Allen deal, Mathurin still could have been an intriguing pick up alongside Jackson. If the Clippers offered a similar deal for Allen as they did Zubac, the Cavs would have fallen below the second apron but hampered the frontcourt depth.
Additionally, Tomlin would not have found a path to signing a two-year contract since this trade would have left the Cavaliers back at 15 roster spots after trading Lonzo.
Getting the haul of draft picks for Allen that the Pacers gave for Zubac could have been the most enticing piece of the trade, though. The Cavaliers are absent any draft capital after this deadline, and trading Allen could have refreshed the stockpile.
Ultimately, the Cleveland Cavaliers chose to avoid further major changes. Mathurin and Jackson would have left the Cavs without a reliable frontcourt partner for Evan Mobley, and Mathurin's upcoming free agency would have only complicated the next offseason for the Cavaliers further.
The trade return for Allen may eventually be too good to pass up, but the Cavaliers seemingly hold Allen to a high price tag. His recent play certainly justifies it.