Rumors about the New Orleans Pelicans' interest in Cleveland Cavaliers big man Jarrett Allen persist. As the February 8th trade deadline fast approaches, the former All-Star center has reportedly been “commonly associated” with the Pelicans as management scours the league for a long-term option in the middle next to Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.
“Jarrett Allen is the name most commonly associated with the Pelicans,” Matt Moore of They're looking to reset their center position a little more in the age timeline of their stars Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. Jonas Valanciunas on an expiring contract could wind up being moved which would be smart given how much interest there is in centers across the league, and his $15 million expiring deal will be an asset.”
How would Jarrett Allen fit with the Pelicans?
There's been smoke about New Orleans targeting Allen via trade dating back before 2023-24. It surfaced again in December after the Cavs lost both Darius Garland and Evan Mobley due to injury, a development that made it easy to believe Cleveland would sell at the trade deadline as two of the team's core four players were lost for extended stretches.
The Cavs have weathered that injury storm better than anyone anticipated, at 11-3 since Garland joined Mobley on the injury shelf a few weeks ago. General manager Koby Altman reportedly has no plans to move Donovan Mitchell despite the latter's well-known preference to play in his native New York, and Cleveland's appetite for an Allen trade seems similarly nonexistent.
Even if the Cavs largely stand pat at the trade deadline, though, Allen will remain a popular subject of trade proposals heading into the offseason and beyond. It's clear by now Cleveland won't scrape its highest ceiling until Mobley—whose all-around skill development this season has been somewhat disappointing—transitions to being his team's full-time center. The extremely reasonable two years and $40 million remaining on Allen's contract past 2023-24 only adds to the expectation he could soon be on his way of Northeast Ohio, too.
New Orleans' sustained interest in Allen makes sense given both his on-court fit with the team's core as well as Jonas Valanciunas' upcoming foray into free agency.
While Allen isn't the floor-spacing five who would best unlock driving lanes for Williamson to be at his monstrous best, he's a much more threatening vertical spacer than Valanciunas, not to mention a transition rim-runner. More importantly, Allen is one of the best rim-protectors in basketball, forcing opponents into 54.4% shooting at the rim compared to Valanciunas' porous 67.8%, per NBA.com/stats. With an active, intimidating presence like Allen manning the back line, coach Willie Green could veer away from the paint-packed defensive approach that's led to the Pelicans surrendering a higher share of three-pointers than all but one team in the league.
Chances are nothing comes of New Orleans apparent desire to bring in Allen before the trade deadline. Just don't forget it entering a summer that could be truly transformational for both the Pelicans and Cavaliers.
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