The Cleveland Cavaliers are finally starting to turn the corner and get healthy, but their biggest problems are still painfully present.
After losing three consecutive games to sub .500 teams, the Cavs are looking like a fringe Finals contender with two blowout wins in a row before a heartbreaking Christmas day loss to the New York Knicks.
While the Cavaliers' offense is getting back in rhythm with the return of Darius Garland and Sam Merrill, two major downsides still plague Cleveland. In just five minutes of the fourth quarter, Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson grabbed eight rebounds, four of which came on the offensive glass. During that time, The Cavaliers deployed their patented double-big lineup, designed to prevent exactly that problem.
Instead, the Cavs learned a lesson they should learned at least 100 times by now. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen are not good enough rebounderes to warrant that lineup anymore.
Additionally, Cleveland's perimeter defense allowed those offensive rebounds to turn into easy kick outs to unforeseen hero of the day Tyler Kolek. The New York guard scored 11 points in the final quarter, draining three three-pointers to kill a 17-point Cavs lead.
If the Cavaliers hope to win the NBA Finals, or even have a chance, being quiet on the trade market is a mistake. Cleveland has tried everything to build a contender. They brought in a new coach with Kenny Atkinson and his staff. The bench looks entirely different from years ago. None of that has solved the rebounding or perimeter defense issues.
It's time to trade Jarrett Allen
Cleveland's starting center is a wildly talented player. Allen is one of the best short-rollers in the NBA, finding a way to impact offense despite a limited skillset. His ability to pass out of the short roll, score on floaters and make timely cuts to the basket are all talents almost any team can appreciate.
Earlier this season, the Cavs were reportedly only withholding Mobley and Donovan Mitchell from trade talks. Everybody else is seemingly available for the right price, though players like Garland and Jaylon Tyson are likely as close to untouchable as they can be without the official label. Allen, though, might be the best trade piece the Cavs can move without getting worse.
Unfortunately, with Mobley also in town, the Cavs are becoming redundant and underwhelming in the frontcourt. Atkinson has already lost faith in Allen as a closing player, often benching him for the entire fourth quarter. When Allen finally had a chance to prove himself against the Knicks, his presence on the court only helped New York.
While Dean Wade's entrance helped limit Jalen Brunson's production in the fourth, he is Cleveland's only trustworthy perimeter defender far too often.
Cleveland has entrusted internal growth and moves on the margins to fix these issues. Instead of trying the same failed method again, one trade is an obvious solution to their painful flaws.
The Cavaliers cannot afford to surrender their 2031 first-round pick right now, as the next decade may be a crucial pivot point for the franchise. Further complicating the 2028 swap and adding on a simple two-team swap in 2030, however, could match the New Orleans Pelican's asking prices for Herb Jones and Yves Missi.
Allen is the ideal center for the Pels to put next to rising stars Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears. The Cavs have proven Allen's value with a quick, crafty guard with Darius Garland and Allen. The young Fears could greatly improve his playmaking if he has a rolling big like Allen to trust.
For Queen, a defensive anchor like Allen is the ideal frontcourt partner to teach Queen and help the rookie big adapt his game.
For the Cavaliers, though, the trade is a clear upgrade to win now and in the future. Herb Jones is the one of the league's best defensive wings, devastating opposing lineups on the perimeter and offering defensive versatility across the board. While Jones' offensive efficiency can waver, his defensive talent and athleticism make him a perfect candidate for the Cavs.
Yves Missi, a young big man with incredible upside, could be the ideal backup center to Mobley as a full-time starting five. This season, the Pelicans have hardly utilized Missi, often trusting Queen, De'Andre Jordan and Kevon Looney over the young Missi.
In 17.3 minutes per game this season, Missi is averaging 5.4 points and 5.1 rebounds. His rebounding percentage of 16.1 already surpasses Allen, and his 17.8 percent offensive rebounding percentage is exactly what the Cavaliers need. Bringing Missi off the bench or starting him in select matchups could reshape the Cavs' future for the better.
Rightfully so, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been fairly hesitant to move on from any core players. Jarrett Allen has been a pillar of Cleveland's return to prominence, but his continued flaws are creating a weakpoint on the Cavs that opponents are easily attacking. This trade resolves those issues and helps the Cavaliers re-establish dominance in the Eastern Conference.