As the Cleveland Cavaliers look to replicate their successes from last season and learn from their failures, they have been unafraid to make changes in the roster and lineup.
With their core of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley at the helm, the Cavaliers are on the better side of the rebuild that began in 2018 after LeBron James' second departure from the Land. After a 51-31 season in 2022-23, the Cavs fell apart and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the New York Knicks. While they took steps forward that year, there was plenty of work to be done.
The following offseason had no shortage of moves, as the Cavs opened free agency with a sign-and-trade to acquire Miami Heat wing Max Strus and a move to add veteran 3-point shooter Georges Niang to the roster. Additionally, Cleveland added Ty Jerome and Damian Jones before eventually signing former Cavaliers big man Tristan Thompson on a veteran minimum. All these moves ranked Cleveland's offseason as one of the best in the league (subscription required), building upon an already great team.
At the onset of the 2023-24 season, the Cavaliers have continually struggled to find their footing with injuries plaguing the entire roster. Entering the season, the long-term fit between frontcourt duo Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen was a primary point of emphasis for onlookers, as the two non-shooters could not overcome the Knicks' physical playstyle in the postseason. Unfortunately, Allen did not play until game six this season due to a left ankle bone bruise.
Due to Allen's untimely injury, the Cavs could not see how the two young bigs worked in a more perimeter-centric offense. Since his return, though, Allen and Mobley have not lost a step. They have not looked any better than last season as a tandem, however. While Mobley's offensive progression steadily improves, the long-term pairing next to Allen is still questionable. Neither player has developed an outside shot, and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has often resorted to staggering both players' minutes with only one of them on the court at any given time.
Staggering Mobley and Allen can work for the regular season, but in a playoff series where they need their best five players on the court together as much as possible, it is hard to imagine Mobley and Allen resolving last year's concerns. The best option may prove to be splitting up the frontcourt in a trade.
For that reason, Allen may become the odd man out for Cleveland when the trade deadline draws near, as the Cavaliers will undoubtedly prioritize Mobley's growth above all else. Finding the right suitor for Allen is not perfectly straightforward. The 25-year-old center is a dominant defensive anchor and constant lob threat on offense. His playstyle and skillset would be relished by every team in the league; however, finding the right deal would be far from easy.
In return for Allen, the Cavaliers need a player who can maximize Mobley's potential as an offensive hub and put in strong rebounding effort every game. Although that type of player is far and few between (and coveted wherever found), the Cavs could consider revisiting a former trade partner once again.
Could the Cleveland Cavaliers and Utah Jazz strike a deal this go-around, too?
In 2022, the Cavaliers traded for Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz. If the Cavaliers are ready to break up the Mobley/Allen pairing, calling up Salt Lake City again could be the best move. Currently, the Jazz frontcourt is oversaturated with talent, as Walker Kessler, John Collins and former Cavalier Lauri Markkanen are all competing for minutes.
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What would a trade look like between Cleveland and Utah?
Once again, parting ways with Jarrett Allen is not an urgent need. At the age of 25, Allen is yet to enter his prime as a basketball player. However, Evan Mobley's development urgently needs to become the team's first and foremost focus.
While Mobley is improving this season, his usage rate is severely low for a third-year frontcourt star. Trading Allen for a versatile forward who can help maximize Mobley's offensive talents would be worth consideration, especially if the Cavs fall short this season once again.
In a trade with the Jazz, the Cavaliers would likely target John Collins, a uniquely talented forward with a perfect skillset alongside Mobley. Whereas Markkanen and Kessler are too valuable for the Jazz's future, Collins is a high level role player with a tradeable contract.
Although Evan Mobley currently plays the four spot, the Cavs seem to view him as a long-term center. Finding the right power forward to accompany Mobley at the five will become necessary soon, and John Collins could easily be the best man for the job. He is an above average scorer from anywhere on the court, he can find the lane for an easy jam and he is a worthwhile defender.
A simple Allen for Collins swap is far from likely, though, as Kessler is more important to Utah than what Allen would provide. Instead, the Cavs would need a third team to get involved who need Allen. One team in particular needs a defensive frontcourt anchor more than any other franchise. In the wake of a multitude of season-ending injuries, the Memphis Grizzlies could be a perfect landing spot for Allen.
In this scenario, the Grizzlies trade Steven Adams' $12.6 million contract along with John Konchar and a few draft picks in return for Allen. Although Memphis is in the middle of a horrendous season, bringing Allen to the roster just as Ja Morant returns from his 25-game suspension could help turn their season around.
For the Jazz, they get a massive package for Collins. In the summer, Utah traded a single second-round pick and Rudy Gay for John Collins. Although the Jazz were an exciting team last season, they are opening the 2023-24 campaign as one of the worst teams in the Western Conference. Gathering more future draft assets than they gave up for Collins would be a best-case scenario for them.
Deal or no deal? Do the Cavaliers say yes?
Finally, as for the Cavs, they get a high-caliber 3-point shooter and tough rebounder in their frontcourt. Cleveland's biggest flaws in Allen and Mobley have been their lack of shooting and their inconsistent rebounding. Collins is shooting 41 percent from deep this season and is averaging over 8 rebounds per game. With Mobley's 10.5 rebounds per game this year, a frontcourt duo of Collins and Mobley could look unstoppable in time.
The Cavs do lose Dean Wade and Ty Jerome along with Allen, but neither Wade nor Jerome would be likely to enter the nightly rotation by the time the playoffs arrive. Instead, the Cavs surrender a bit of their depth for a player who fits seamlessly in the starting five.
Right now, Jarrett Allen is a critical piece of the Cavs chances every game. He has had historic defensive performances against some of the league's best centers, including a +42 plus-minus against two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. For now, Cleveland might bank on internal growth and consistency for the season.
The Cavs have shown no interest in making major roster changes this offseason, and there is no reason to part ways with Allen at this instant. If the Cavaliers cannot correct course from where they stand now as a Play-In team, though, then the trade deadline might be the final chance for Cleveland to make a push for playoff contention.
In Cleveland, John Collins would thrive with two dynamic guards in the backcourt that can feed him on his cuts to the basket. Additionally, he would be in a frontcourt with one of the smartest passing bigs in the league in Mobley.
Whether Collins is dropping jaws with dunks in fastbreak transition or he is punishing late defensive rotations, Collins would undoubtedly impact Cleveland for the better. He is more than capable of absorbing contact on his way to the basket, as well, which would give the Cavs an edge against physical opponents - an aspect of the game they still struggle to overcome.
In the end, as great as John Collins would be in the wine and gold, there is no certainty that Evan Mobley is ready to take on a full-time role at center. Allen is playing great with him and the rest of the team, but in time it may prove difficult to make the pairing work.
Plenty of NBA teams would covet the skills Allen brings to the table, and finding a way to route Allen to a better situation while bringing Collins to the Land could some day be an ideal trade. For now, though, this trade is good but unlikely.