In a surprise announcement, the Cleveland Cavaliers reached a contract extension agreement with veteran center Jarrett Allen to end July.
Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Allen has agreed to stay in Cleveland on a three-year, $91 million maximum extension, guaranteeing him $131 million over the final two years of his current deal and the next three of his extension.
Allen becomes the third Cavalier to agree to a lucrative extension this summer, joining Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell. Cleveland has spent the summer investing in the current core rather than chasing blockbuster trades. While the roster is incomplete and Isaac Okoro's future is unknown, the Cavs have still accomplished their priorities to find a new coaching staff and keep their best players in town.
Ahead of the summer, Allen's tenure in Cleveland was in question as rumors surrounding the New Orleans Pelicans and other trade suitors emerged. Same as last year, the Cavaliers chose to retain Allen and trust in a young developing core.
Since joining the Cavaliers in 2021, Allen has established his reputation as an elite-level rim protector and dependable two-way post presence. He and Garland earned All-Star nods in their second season together and helped establish the Cavs as an Eastern Conference riser, setting the stage for a blockbuster 2022 trade to land Mitchell.
With four players on maximum extensions, though, the Cavaliers need each of their core players to elevate their play and prove the contracts were worth it. Once all four extensions are active, Cleveland will have four players making more than $30 million annually amid a highly-restrictive Collective Bargaining Agreement. Thus far, the Cavs' core has a single playoff series victory, making the four max contracts a high bar for a relatively unproven group.
Allen must prove himself with his new contract
If Allen and the Cavaliers expect to play to the standards they have set for themselves, this next season will be the proving ground with no excuses for failure or coming up short.
After two playoff runs together, the Cavaliers have not seen consistent health and production from any single player of the core. In 2023, every core player struggled to find a rhythm, and injuries derailed the 2024 campaign. As the rest of the East chases contention against the Boston Celtics, the Cavs' complacency with an increasingly expensive core and inefficient depth players must come to a greater outcome than it has thus far. Given Allen's leadership role on the Cavs, it is his responsibility to continue to pursue greatness and set a culture in Cleveland.
New Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson knows Allen after years together with the Brooklyn Nets. Though teams showed interest in a trade for Allen, Atkinson's arrival reportedly silenced any potential moves. With a contract extension following, Jarrett Allen must produce at a maximum level next season.
With two years left on his current contract, the Cavs were not in a position to need to sign an extension now. By doing this a year earlier, Cleveland is showing that they expect Allen is going to take the next step forward alongside Garland and Mobley. He needs to prove the front office right.