Author: Monojit Mandal
The Cleveland Cavaliers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the New York Knicks, and it looks like one player in particular could suffer the consequences of his poor performance in the series. According to the NBA’s Marc Stein, the Cavaliers are considering selling Jarrett Allen because of his failures during the team’s five-game loss to the Knicks.
Allen averaged 9.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.0 block per game, but failed to make an impact in the series. That effort was a far cry from his excellent regular season numbers of 14.3 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 blocks in 68 games.
If Allen is available on the trade market, several clubs are expected to express interest in acquiring the 25-year-old forward. According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, the Cavaliers have been receiving trade proposals for Allen.
Allen, who was named an All-Star in 2022, is known for his rim-protection skills and proficiency as a pick-and-roll center. They established a frontcourt set with Cleveland power forward Evan Mobley, who was just selected to the All-Defensive first team, and played a key role in the Cavaliers’ best scoring defense, limiting opponents to just 106.9 points per game.
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After the start of free agency, the Cavaliers wasted no time in making changes. They signed forward Georges Niang, ex-Philadelphia 76ers, and acquired point guard Max Strus, ex-Miami Heat, in a sign-and-trade deal to strengthen their shooting.
Although the club has already taken steps to improve, it is unclear whether Allen’s transfer is part of their plan. More changes to the squad could be on the way if the Cavaliers want to be top contenders in the Eastern Conference next season. Jarrett Allen’s future is uncertain as the Cavaliers consider their alternatives for next season.