Grading 4 Cleveland Cavaliers' trade potential amid deadline buzz

Jarrett Allen's trade stock is only getting higher on the Cavaliers

Lately, Jarrett Allen has been incredible for the Cavaliers in the wake of Cleveland's fluctuating health. Allen started this season a bit slow due to his own offseason ankle bone bruise, but his most recent stint of games has skyrocketed his value across the league.

With endless rebounds and interior scoring, Allen has joined an elite group of three other NBA players (all of whom have won MVP) for his legendary efficiency over the past handful of contests. Though it came in a tough loss, Allen most recently set his career-high with 30 points against the Milwaukee Bucks.

On the season, Allen is averaging 14.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and just under one block per game while shooting 68.4 percent from within the 3-point line. Allen is also dishing out a career-high 2.8 assists, only adding another talent to an already impressive skillset for the old-school big man.

The Cavaliers acquired Allen from the Brooklyn Nets as part of the massive multi-team James Harden trade back in 2021. Since then, Allen has helped shape Cleveland's identity as a defense-first team, often hovering in the higher echelons of interior defenders across the NBA. Alongside Evan Mobley, the Cavaliers frontcourt led the team to having the league's best defense last season.

However, all of Allen's pros do not come without his cons. As efficient as Allen can score in the post, he is non-existent from deep. Evan Mobley is equally as unproductive from 3-point range, making the Cavaliers' frontcourt relatively redundant when both bigs are paired together on the court. Additionally, the Cavs repeatedly appear to view Mobley as their long-term center, making it only a matter of time until Jarrett Allen is moved.

Giving up on Allen right as he is setting career highs and making history seems like the complete opposite choice the team should make, but it might be best to sell high on Allen when he is still under contract for two more seasons at $20 million per year.

Plenty of teams have shown interest in Allen, with the New Orleans Pelicans continually looking at Allen since last season. The Cavaliers could make one big shift in their core group this season by trading Allen in exchange for a veteran stretch five to play alongside Mobley this season and one or two young forwards to take the reigns at the four once Mobley transitions to center.

Trading Jarrett Allen is not an insult or declaration that the Cavaliers see him as a negative asset. He is one of the best centers in the NBA and can be a core piece on a championship team. For Cleveland, though, his tenure is bound to come to an end eventually. Finding Allen a new home that could maximize his worth and give the Cavaliers young, winning players in return would be a win-win scenario if the right deal emerges before the deadline.