Cleveland Cavaliers
Trade deadline candidate: Jarrett Allen
Heading into the 2023-24 NBA season, this is a huge year for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Not only do they have to take a tangible step forward in their overall team development to try and sell Donovan Mitchell on their future, but they also have to figure out what the dynamic is going to be with the emerging Evan Mobley – will they continue to play him next to Jarrett Allen? That’s one of the bigger questions that need to be answered this season.
While there were some whispers that the Cavs could trade Allen, nothing of the sort came to fruition during the offseason. Maybe those talks are revived closer to the start of the season. I believe the Cavs only pivot to trade Allen if there’s some sort of bump in the road to begin the year. Ultimately, it’s probably best if they move Allen when thinking about the long-term projections for Mobley. I just don’t think the Cavs are there yet.
The fact that it could change between now and the NBA Trade Deadline leaves me to believe that Allen is a name to keep an eye on over the first few months of the season.