If the Cleveland Cavaliers Hit Reset, the Atlanta Hawks Have a Clear Target

Life happens fast in the NBA. Just a week ago, trade proposals involving the Cleveland Cavaliers would have felt unthinkable. This team was in the Eastern Conference Finals. Why would they do anything drastic?

Now, they have been swept by the New York Knicks, and elimination has left them with more questions than answers. This should count as a successful season, but when you're the most expensive team in the NBA, the standard is higher.

This iteration of the Cavaliers seems to have hit a ceiling, and it's hard to envision where they go from here. A fire sale this summer is firmly on the table.

If Cleveland does open up shop, the Atlanta Hawks should target one player in particular — and it might not be who you're thinking.

It's not Donovan Mitchell.

Sure, Mitchell would make sense. He's one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA. That said, he's expensive in terms of both cap space and trade value.

By contrast, Jarrett Allen is on one of the best contracts in the league.

That's who the Hawks should be looking at. This team needs size in the middle, and Allen is an outstanding rim protector and efficient pick-and-roll finisher who inexplicably makes just $20 million a season.

Atlanta could go about this in a number of ways. A combination of Corey Kispert, Zaccharie Risacher, and draft capital could work. Alternatively, the Hawks could sign-and-trade Jonathan Kuminga, presumably with some draft capital attached.

How can Atlanta resist?

Let's be clear: the Hawks are not flush with draft capital. They have enough to spare, but that's about it. An Allen trade would likely leave them without the assets to make another big move down the line.

Here's the counterargument: do they need to take another big swing? This was one of the hottest teams in the NBA after the 2025-26 All-Star break. The Hawks are young. Adding Allen should put them in the mix as a dark-horse title contender.

There would be one solid reason to pass on Allen: Aday Mara. The 7-foot-3 Spanish big man has been a popular suggestion for the Hawks' eighth overall pick. If Atlanta would rather draft its big man of the future, that's fair.

If the Hawks are cooler on Mara, there's no reason not to call the Cavaliers. Allen is on an extremely team-friendly contract, and he's got a skill set this Atlanta team needs.

He could push the Hawks to title contention — quickly.

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