It is always difficult watching a longtime fan favorite fall out of favor. Those are the circumstances facing Jarrett Allen heading into the new 2025-26 NBA season. If the Cleveland Cavaliers fail, the team's starting center will undeniably stick out as one of the biggest trade candidates.
There are those out there who have already begun to waver on the idea of Allen being a member of the core four. The fit beside Evan Mobley is starting to get questioned as the feelings of the shrinking importance held by the former All-Star are starting to grow.
Zach Lowe thought in a scenario where the Cavaliers fail to meet expectations in 2025-26, Cleveland could go star hunting. If those pursuits are deemed a necessity, there are only two names who the NBA analyst believed would be untouchable for the franchise.
Lowe said, "If they fall short this year, everything on the roster, other than [Donovan] Mitchell and Mobley, becomes, not on the table, but 'we'll make some calls for this elite player or that elite player."
Jarrett Allen leads names of Cavaliers' chopping block candidates
Off the top of his head, Lowe thought it was worth monitoring how the upcoming season unfolded in places like Milwaukee, Utah, and Phoenix. Those are odd scenarios if considering the implication of the conversation at hand.
Is the NBA analyst envisioning a reunion with Lauri Markkanen for the Cavaliers when it comes to the Utah Jazz? There are certainly no other players that immediately stand out as star candidates on that roster.
Markkanen has taken a large step forward since his lone season with the Cavaliers in 2021-22. The Finnish star led the way for his nation at EuroBasket 2025, averaging 23.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game, in a surprising run to a fourth-placed finish.
Theoretically, who Markkanen is today does represent a much better fit next to Mobley. However, his nearly $196 million contract is a daunting number for a team already struggling with their finances.
Similarly to the Jazz, the invitation of bringing the Phoenix Suns to this conversations hints at Devin Booker. Their franchise has very little for star power past him. The multi-time All-Star shares a lot of overlap in his game with Mitchell, raising immediate question marks regarding that potential pairing.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks are the interesting one. Everyone has been monitoring that situation throughout the offseason, hoping for a trade request from one of the game's biggest superstars. Nothing has come of it.
The Cavaliers could form the most terrifying big three in the NBA with Antetokounmpo, Mobley, and Mitchell. Those are three of the 15 best players in the league. Cleveland would also have the means to provide the Cavaliers with pieces that would allow them to remain competitive. That matters for a franchise that does not have control over their own draft capital until 2031.
Similarly to any of these instances, the Cavaliers would need to navigate a lot of financial hoops. It would likely require the roster to really be thinned out around their three stars. Recent trends of NBA champions have shown that is not the model for a title team anymore.
Lowe's message of exploring different fits with the likes of Allen, in the case of failure, is the correct one. However, the Cavaliers will need better scenarios than the ones suggested.