Jarrett Allen says the Cavaliers still have to overcome the national perception of Cleveland and believes winning a championship would establish their own identity.
The New York Knicks won the 2026 NBA championship in June over San Antonio, the franchise's first title since 1973. On the way, New York swept the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round and then the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.
Jarrett Allen said Monday at the Cavaliers' media day at Rocket Arena that the other teams in the final four came from higher-name cities.
Allen Says Cleveland Still Has to Earn Respect
Allen sees the Cavaliers as fighting a perception that extends beyond the basketball team and into how Cleveland is viewed nationally.
"Probably not. I mean, we played against the Spurs — or, not, we didn't play against the Spurs. The Spurs, Thunder, us, and the Knicks," Allen said. "I mean, all the other teams are higher-name cities, right? Teams that have been there are teams that are New York. So that's just how it is with Cleveland."
"I mean, you guys know, you guys experience the Cleveland narrative, whatever sport it is," Allen continued. "We're not looked at as one of the go-to destinations, but at some point we're going to have our name out there. At some point people are going to understand about Cleveland and how much work not only us but the whole city puts in, and respect it."
Cleveland went 52-30 last season and took seven-game series from the Raptors and Pistons before the sweep. A year earlier, the Cavaliers had been the East's No. 1 seed before the Indiana Pacers beat them in five games in the second round.
The run to the conference finals was the franchise's first since 2018, the last of four straight Finals trips with LeBron James.
James won Cleveland's only NBA championship in 2016, beating a Golden State Warriors team that had gone 73-9. He spent 11 seasons with the Cavaliers over two stints.
Allen Wants Cavaliers to Build Their Own Championship Identity
This summer, James informed the Los Angeles Lakers on June 30 that he was leaving, then used a July 24 social media post to reveal his move to the Philadelphia 76ers. He signed for two years and $8 million.
Golden State, Cleveland, Miami, Minnesota, and Philadelphia were among the teams that may have sent James voice notes, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. James, 41, is entering his 24th season.
A title won as a group, rather than behind one superstar, is what Allen thinks it will take for the current Cavaliers to establish their own identity.
"Another championship. I think it's — hmm, how do I say that? Don doesn't like me saying LeBron, but I think it's more than just winning a championship with the city and — how do I say this? Time out. Winning a championship as a collective rather than having one main superstar. Time in," Allen explained. "Because we're here to create our own identity, which is completely fair enough. We're here to make our own identity. But, I mean, we all know what the truth is."
Allen did not try to read the signs during James' free agency.
"Honestly, I don't know. There's so much speculation. Oh, he did this. Oh, he did that. That means this," Allen said. "At that point it's just, tell me where he goes at the end, and I'll be happy for him."
The Cavaliers open the season at Philadelphia on Oct. 22. Koby Altman, Cleveland's president of basketball operations, told reporters Friday that the roster improved without James.
Allen Says Cavaliers Want to Break Cleveland's Doubt
Part of Cleveland still doubts the Cavaliers, Allen said. He sees winning as the way to erase that uncertainty and reward the support the team receives from the city.
"The city is hungry. We all know that. We all know the city is hungry. They want to win. They want to see a championship here again," Allen said. "I feel like they believe in us, but part of them has doubt. Everybody wants to break the doubt. I want to break the doubt. The team wants to break the doubt."
"And we want to do it for the city. We know the city's hungry, and we are grateful for the city pouring everything that they can into us when we have many other great sports teams in the city," Allen added. "So we just want to bring happiness and joy back to the city."
The group knows its talent, Allen said, and views a championship as the standard it ultimately wants to reach.
"That's just the goal for this group. We understand the talent that we have. We understand what we are able to achieve, and that's the ultimate goal in this league, to win the championship," Allen said. "We all know that our legacies that we want to leave behind, they're all dedicated onto that."
Allen Begins Sixth Full Season With Cavaliers
Allen is entering his 10th NBA season and his sixth full season in Cleveland. The Cavaliers acquired him from the Brooklyn Nets in January 2021, in the four-team trade that sent James Harden from the Houston Rockets to Brooklyn.
He was an All-Star in 2022. The three-year, $91 million extension he agreed to in 2024 kicks in this season and keeps him under contract through 2028-29.
Donovan Mitchell signed a four-year maximum extension in July, and James Harden re-signed in August. Cleveland's camp begins Wednesday in Fuengirola, Spain.
