Jarrett Allen Makes Strong Claim About Cavaliers' New Defensive Additions

Mario Hezonja signed a one-year, veteran's minimum contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers on July 31 after four seasons with Real Madrid. Three weeks later, Peyton Watson arrived from the Denver Nuggets in a five-team sign-and-trade.

Jarrett Allen said Monday at media day at Rocket Arena that Hezonja can pass as well as push people around.

"It's huge. Mario, I think he weighs more than me. It's incredible how strong he is, how much he can push around other people on the court, how much he can pass the ball and do all that," Allen said. "But especially on defense, him and Peyton are going to be crucial."

"Instead of being able to funnel everybody to Evan and I, we're going to be able to move our feet on the perimeter and bump guys early to [deter them] from coming into the paint," Allen continued.

Hezonja, a 31-year-old, 6-foot-9 forward, was the Liga ACB MVP last season. He also led all scorers at the EuroLeague Final Four in Athens in May with 44 points across two games, though Olympiacos beat Real Madrid 92-85 in the final.

The Orlando Magic took him fifth overall in 2015. He spent five NBA seasons split among Orlando, New York, and Portland before leaving for Europe after 2019-20. His deal with Cleveland is worth $2.85 million, his agent told ESPN.

Watson's contract runs four years at $88 million. Denver drafted him 30th overall in 2022, and he shot 41.1% from 3-point range for the Nuggets last season. He turned 24 on Sept. 11.

Allen does not think the effect will show up only in the box score. He believes adding another disruptive perimeter defender can change how opponents attack Cleveland.

"I think it's going to be huge. Whenever you can add a huge defensive player that makes an impact like that to Evan and I, I think that goes a long way," Allen explained. "Not even actually getting stats, but just mentally deterring players from coming in to paint."

Evan Mobley took home the league's top defensive award for 2024-25. Cleveland allowed 115.1 points per 100 possessions last season, 15th in the league, according to StatMuse.

Allen and Mobley have played together since Mobley's rookie season in 2021-22. Dean Wade, who signed with Philadelphia, and Max Strus, who went to the Clippers in the Watson trade, are gone from last season's rotation. So is Keon Ellis, who left in free agency. Guard Tre Mann joined in an August trade with the Charlotte Hornets.

The pieces have had the summer to learn each other, and Allen called that incredible.

"Any experience and time that we get to be able to play together, to be able to learn each other's traits and how we like to play on the court, or me and the dunker and him handling the ball up top, that's incredible for how we're going to go into the season," Allen said. "More time together equals more success, in my book."

Off the court, Allen pointed to a group chat as another sign of how close the roster has become.

"Number one, it's just a good group of guys. It's the number one thing in this league. If you're willing to play for each other, you're willing to sacrifice even more," Allen said. "And I think having a great group of guys off the court, hanging out together, making sure that everybody's good, checking up on each other, the team group chat, that goes such a long way that nothing on the court can add up to."

Donovan Mitchell and James Harden described the same offseason on Monday. Harden listed movies, bowling, a high school football game, and a Cleveland Browns game among the outings.

Allen averaged a career-high 16.5 points with 10.5 rebounds in 2023-24, and his 42 double-doubles that year were the most by a Cavalier since LeBron James had 52 in 2017-18, according to ESPN.

He is entering his 10th season, having been drafted 22nd overall by the Brooklyn Nets in 2017 out of Texas.

Cleveland's 21-player training camp roster travels to Spain on Tuesday. The preseason opens Oct. 8 when the Boston Celtics visit Cleveland.