NBA insider Marc Stein is reporting that Cleveland Cavaliers big man Jarrett Allen could potentially be among the NBA’s “most coveted trade targets” this summer if a couple of things happen.
“Look for Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen to become one of the most coveted trade targets in the league this offseason if the Cavaliers A) succeed in signing Donovan Mitchell to a contract extension and then B) prioritize signing Evan Mobley to a potentially maximum contract extension this summer as increasingly expected,” Stein wrote.
“Allen continues to have numerous admirers in rival front offices despite the whispers of frustration circulating in Cleveland surrounding Allen’s apparent reluctance to take a pain-killing injection to address a rib injury that sidelined him for the Cavaliers’ final eight playoff games.”
Mitchell and Mobley were two of Cleveland’s best players during the 2024 NBA Playoffs. The former averaged a team-high 29.6 points per game across 10 playoff games with the Cavaliers, while the latter led the team in blocks per contest (2.2) and also averaged 16.0 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
As for Allen, a rib injury kept him off the floor for a good chunk of Cleveland’s playoff run, which ended in the second round. He played the first four games of the Cavaliers’ first-round series against the Orlando Magic but was sidelined for the remainder of the team’s stint in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
Although Allen was hampered by his injury for much of the Cavaliers’ run, when he was healthy enough to play, he made an impact on both sides of the ball. From an offensive standpoint, he provided Cleveland with consistent and efficient scoring on the interior, as he averaged 17.0 points per game against the Magic while shooting a whopping 67.6 percent from the field.
On the other end of the floor, he pulled down rebounds and protected the rim. Allen averaged a team-high 10.0 defensive rebounds to go along with 1.0 block and 1.3 steals per contest.
His ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor — particularly inside — could have come in handy in Cleveland’s second-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics, who were without star big man Kristaps Porzingis for the entirety of the series.
While Allen suffered a rib injury arguably when Cleveland needed him most, the number of games he played during the 2023-24 regular season suggests that the Cavaliers shouldn’t be overly concerned about his availability moving forward. The 26-year-old appeared in 77 of the Cavaliers’ 82 contests, the second-most games he has played in a single season in his NBA career.
When factoring in how well Allen played in the 2024 NBA Playoffs when healthy as well as his availability during the regular season, perhaps Cleveland’s most beneficial course of action would be to hold onto him this offseason.
