Cavaliers Urged to Trade Jarrett Allen This Season: 'Spacing Constraints'

Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley believes the Cleveland Cavaliers should trade Jarrett Allen this season. 

Allen will make $28 million this season. 

"The spacing constraints of his pairing with Evan Mobley haven't gone away, and Allen's rim-running role seems the easiest to replace (perhaps by Mobley himself). It's also a coveted archetype, and he's on a good contract (three years, $90.7 million), so it wouldn't be difficult to drum up interest," Buckley wrote. 

Allen averaged 15.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game last season while shooting 63.8% from the field and 70.9% from the free-throw line. He recorded 20 double-doubles.

In the 2026 playoffs against the Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks, Allen put up 12.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest.

The Knicks swept Allen and the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. 

A one-time All-Star, Allen has played for the Brooklyn Nets and Cavaliers. He holds career averages of 13.1 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. The big man doesn't have a no-trade clause in his contract. Why is that important?

Well, many people around the NBA believe the Cavaliers could trade Allen if they struggle because his contract is easy tradeable and many teams admire him. 

While Allen's skill set is fairly limited, his market might be robust. Few rim-runners provide a bigger impact on both ends of the floor than the career 64.1 percent shooter who has thrice received votes for Defensive Player of the Year.

Cleveland will start James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Peyton Watson, Evan Mobley and Allen this season. If the team gets off to a slow start, Allen could be moved. 

Cleveland opens this season against LeBron James and the 76ers in Philadelphia. That will be an electric atmosphere.

LeBron left the Los Angeles Lakers for the 76ers in free agency. Everyone in Cleveland thought LeBron would come home in the summer, but he didn't.

The Cavaliers are under major pressure to reach the NBA Finals since they have an expensive roster. Cleveland will pay Mitchell and Mobley a combined $133 million in 2029-30.

If the Cavaliers falter in the 2027 playoffs, don't be surprised if Mitchell, Harden and Allen are not on the team in 2027-28.

And if Cleveland is struggling near the 2027 NBA trade deadline, we could see an in-season Allen trade.   

Buckley considers Allen a top-10 NBA trade target. The NBA writer ranked Allen at No. 5.

Allen trails only Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant, New Orleans Pelicans swingman Trey Murphy III and LA Clippers point guard Darius Garland (1).

HoopsHype ranked Allen the 12th-best center in the NBA. Allen is one spot ahead of Ivica Zubac of the Indiana Pacers and one spot behind Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Utah Jazz.