Injuries have been an ever-present problem for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season.
Last year's postseason is still affecting the Cavs as Darius Garland is yet to return to full health. Max Strus was sidelined at the start of training camp with a foot surgery, and even Sam Merrill has been in and out of Cleveland's lineups since the start of the regular season.
Without a healthy roster, the Cavs have fallen in the Eastern Conference standings, battling to stay out of the Play-In tournament and regain their position as a top seed in the conference. As the December 15 unofficial start to trade season approaches and makes more than 80 more NBA players available for trade, Cleveland's recent struggles may force their hand.
If the Cavaliers finally make a major move to shake up the core group, one player stands out as the most likely to be dealt. Jarrett Allen has been a constant presence as the team's starting center since his arrival in 2021, but his role has steadily diminished this season.
This season, Evan Mobley has played over 60 percent of his minutes at the center position. It has long been expected that Mobley will assume the full-time center job, leaving a looming question mark over Allen's Cavs future. After earning All-NBA honors last year, Mobley is finally assuming greater responsibility to become a legitimate championship-level star.
For years, the chances for Allen to be traded have been obvious. While the Cavs have never made the deal, Allen's injury absence might be the final sign that Cleveland is moving on from their fan-favorite center.
The Cavaliers have a Jarrett Allen trade conspiracy brewing
NBA teams have done many not-so-subtle things to signal a trade is emerging. Oftentimes, benching a player for an obscure period of time is a pretty clear indicator.
For Allen, after he played through a fractured finger earlier this season, he has now missed the last six games with a finger strain. In the latest injury update, head coach Kenny Atkinson said Allen looked good but did not offer a timeline for his return.
Allen has not typically sat on the sideline with injuries if he's able to play. The Cavaliers have not indicated he is on the trade block, but his consistent presence and Cleveland's fading trust in Allen is the foundation for a good, old-fashioned NBA trade conspiracy.
This season, the Cavs' starting center is averaging 26.1 minutes per game, the lowest of his career since his rookie season. In the fourth quarter, Atkinson has entirely ignored Allen, playing him 5.5 minutes on average in the final period, if he even plays.
For a player owed $20 million this year (and $28 million next season), the Cavaliers are making it clear they do not view him as a player worth that much money. As the league's most expensive team, Cleveland simply cannot afford to have high-cost players fading out of the rotation.
Combining the Cavs' lack of faith in Allen and his sudden prolonged absence, the Cavaliers might be sneakily preparing for a trade in the next few days or weeks. Possible trade proposals circulated as early as opening night, indicating the growing public perception that Mobley's rising stardom is simultaneously pushing Allen out of town.
In his first season serving as the primary center, Mobley is seeing his best on-off numbers of his career at 10.1 per 100 possessions, a 4.8 increase from last season. Although Mobley has encountered some embarrassing growing pains, his fit as the Cavs' starting center is painfully obvious. If Cleveland is planning on Mobley as the long-term center, it's time to make the decision and move on from Allen now before his salary inflates by another $8 million.
By trading Allen this season, the Cavs effectively move off an extra $8 million in next year's cap sheet. While the Cavaliers certainly cannot find a player of Allen's talent level for $20 million or less, finding a player with a better organizational fit next to Mobley could be exactly what the team needs. Adding a new talent to the frontcourt, especially if the deal includes future draft assets, could turn a disaster season around into the Cavs' favor.
Again, there have been no objective signs the Cavaliers are exploring Allen's trade value. His diminishing role and sudden disappearance are the basis for a classic trade conspiracy. Until Cleveland officially makes the trade or a reputable source reports on an upcoming deal, nothing is more than speculation.