After a devastating loss to the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers will now have to take this offseason to reassess their current roster.
Despite the team being plagued with injuries over the course of the playoffs, Cavs’ president Koby Altman may have to consider trading star center Jarrett Allen this offseason to help the franchise down the road.
The 27-year-old veteran has been a key piece to the team’s “core four”, as he’s been Cleveland’s best defender down low for the past five seasons. During his time with the Cavaliers, Allen averaged 14.7 points and 10.1 rebounds per game while being named the NBA All-Star Team in 2022. However, this offseason may be the perfect time to move off the star big man.
One of the main reason why it’s right time to move off Allen is cap consideration. Cleveland is currently $17 million over the first apron tax, and roughly $5 million over the second apron tax. However, if the Cavs decided to trade the star center, it would free up roughly $3 million in space under the first apron, and around $15 million under the second apron. This would allow for Cleveland to resign key players like Ty Jerome, or pursue a free agent to help reload for next season.
If the Cavaliers do decide to move off of Allen, the trade would likely have to include another big man that has more flexibility in terms of cap space. One name that makes sense is Charlotte Hornets young center Mark Williams, who was a former first round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. The 23-year-old averaged 15.5 points and 9.4 rebounds last season, which would be a valuable addition for the Cavs if Allen were traded.
There are plenty of teams in the NBA that would be looking for a star center like Allen, even if a team like the Hornets would not bite on an offer. The Los Angeles Lakers have plenty of star power with LeBron James and Luka Doncic, however, their starting five lacks a dominant center that could solidify the franchise’s front court.
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