With the offseason in full swing, the Cleveland Cavaliers have plenty of important decisions to make that will shape their future. It goes without saying that much of their direction going forward will be dictated by what route Donovan Mitchell chooses to go. The Cavs' best player for the past two seasons, Mitchell is under contract for one more season and has yet to indicate if he wants to remain with the franchise long-term.
Of course, Cleveland is prepared to offer Donovan a four-year, $208 million extension once free agency hits. Should he accept, the Cavaliers can work on retooling the roster around him and look to run it back again in a relatively wide open Eastern Conference (outside of the Celtics). But should he decline, management will likely focus on crafting a trade for him in an effort not to lose him for nothing next summer.
But regardless of what happens with Mitchell, Cleveland could also be seeking to trade Jarrett Allen, according to ESPN Insider Brian Windhorst. On a recent episode of The Hoop Collective, Brian explained his belief that the team wants to explore sending Allen elsewhere. "I would think the Cavs are going to be spending more time in this next month looking at possible Jarrett Allen trades and what that can bring," said Windhorst.
This is far from the most surprising news to hear. Allen and Evan Mobley's fit together has been questioned, and a common belief is that the Cavaliers would be better served rolling with just one rather than both. However, there is one big problem Cleveland may run into while exploring this opportunity, and that is the scarcity of centers on the trade market.
The Cavaliers may not have many potential trade partners
If Cleveland is looking to move Jarrett, they would obviously be searching for a team who is in need of a starting center to do business with. But as it currently stands, a lot of teams are all set when it comes to a starting five. There is not one team around the association that makes total sense as a trade partner.
As a result, this changes the Cavs' leverage. Allen is of course a supremely talented defender and has made big strides on the offensive end as well, but a limited market would mean the price other teams have to pay would be less. With this being the case, Cleveland is all of a sudden in a tough spot.
The Cavaliers can still deal Jarrett if they are ready to move on from him, but the premise of trading him would be that they could get a decent return. With that now seeming questionable, they will have to pick a direction: trade him regardless because you don't see him as a fit going forward, and suffer the losses of a limited market. Or, hold onto him and face the other potential consequences.
Either way, it seems the Jarrett Allen situation will be a complicated one. The worst outcome in this scenario would have to be Cleveland moving him out of pure stubbornness, and getting bad value in return. Cavs fans will have to cross their fingers that result does not come to fruition.