Report: Cavs More Likely to Trade Jarrett Allen Than Evan Mobley if They Make Changes

The Cleveland Cavaliers are more likely to trade Jarrett Allen than Evan Mobley if they make changes this offseason, according to Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports. 

Allen will make $28 million next season, while Mobley will make $50.1 million.

It's easier to trade Allen because of his contract. 

"It's more likely that Allen gets traded than Mobley, and the Cavaliers could get a good package in return," Deveney wrote. "Allen is a standard offensive center but is a valued rim-runner who can protect the paint."

The Cavaliers made the conference finals this season for the first time since 2018. However, they got swept by the New York Knicks. 

Allen averaged 15.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in the regular 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 Knicks, Allen put up 12.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest. 

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 Texas product doesn't have a no-trade clause in his contract. 

Allen has been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers, who need a center for Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report proposed that the Cavaliers and Lakers agree to a sign-and-trade deal involving Allen and LeBron James:

Cleveland Cavaliers receive: LeBron James, Bronny James, Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, $28 million trade exception

Los Angeles Lakers receive: Jarrett Allen, Dennis Schröder, Dean Wade, Sam Merrill

"The deal would be consummated on July 6, after the NBA's annual moratorium," Pincus wrote. "The Cavaliers trigger a first-apron hard cap at $209.1 million—which means players like Allen, Schröder, and Merrill must go to get payroll down and allow Cleveland to flesh out reasonable bench depth.

"LeBron inks for three years, required in a sign-and-trade deal, to a contract worth $63 million that pays $20 million for 2026-27. LeBron and the Cavaliers could have a behind-the-scenes agreement that LeBron plays only a couple of seasons but receives his full compensation—similar to what the San Antonio Spurs did years ago with Tim Duncan at the end of his career."

It will be intriguing to see what the Cavaliers do this offseason. Allen, Mobley, Donovan Mitchell and James Harden weren't good enough to get the job done this season, so changes could be coming. 

If Cleveland traded Allen to Los Angeles for LeBron, the Cavaliers would have a lethal "Big 4" of Mitchell, LeBron, Harden and Mobley next season. It would also be cool to see LeBron end his NBA career at home. 

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