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The Cleveland Cavaliers entered the 2024-25 season with championship aspirations and delivered a franchise-best 64-win campaign, only to see it unravel in the postseason with a shocking five-game loss to the Indiana Pacers. As the dust settles, the front office faces a harsh reality: the current roster, while talented, is both financially inflexible and structurally flawed for the playoff grind. With the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement imposing even harsher penalties for teams above the second apron, Cleveland’s path forward demands tough decisions. One player stands out as the most logical trade candidate, Jarrett Allen.
Why Jarrett Allen Must Be Traded
Jarrett Allen has been a key part of Cleveland’s resurgence, anchoring the paint with his rebounding, rim protection, and efficient finishing. However, as the Cavaliers’ playoff shortcomings have shown, Allen’s fit next to Evan Mobley is increasingly problematic. The modern NBA places a premium on floor spacing and defensive versatility, especially in the postseason. Allen, for all his strengths, is a non-shooter who clogs the lane, limiting Mobley’s ability to operate as a dynamic offensive threat and stifling the spacing for Cleveland’s perimeter stars.
Mobley’s evolution has only accelerated Allen’s redundancy. Mobley has bulked up, improved his rebounding, and, most importantly, developed into a legitimate floor spacer, shooting 37-38% from three over the past two seasons and 47% in the playoffs. He also posted a dominant 67.4% effective field goal percentage in the postseason, showing he’s ready to be the anchor at the five. With Mobley ready to assume full-time center duties, Allen’s presence becomes a luxury the Cavaliers can no longer afford-especially at $20 million per year.
Financially, Cleveland is in a bind. With over $210 million committed to player salaries for 2025-26, the Cavaliers are deep into the luxury tax and face severe restrictions on roster flexibility. Trading Allen, whose contract is reasonable for his production and age, is the most logical way to both reduce payroll and address the team’s need for more versatile wings and shooting.
The Ideal Trade Proposal
Given the Cavaliers’ needs and Allen’s value, the front office should target a package that brings back a defensive-minded wing and additional assets. The New Orleans Pelicans have long been linked to Allen and possess the kind of players Cleveland covets. Here’s a trade proposal that makes sense for both sides:
Pelicans receive: Jarrett Allen
Cavaliers receive: Herb Jones, Kelly Olynyk, 2026 first-round pick
This deal, floated by multiple analysts, addresses several Cleveland needs at once. Herb Jones is one of the NBA’s best perimeter defenders, capable of guarding multiple positions and giving the Cavaliers a much-needed solution against the league’s elite wings. His size and agility would allow Cleveland to switch more defensively and take pressure off Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland on that end. Olynyk, while past his prime, provides a stretch element at the five and could be a useful rotation piece or salary filler whose contract comes off the books next summer. The first-round pick adds future flexibility, a critical asset for a team pressed against the tax.
For the Pelicans, Allen offers a durable, defensive anchor to pair with Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III, shoring up a position that has been a revolving door in New Orleans. The Pelicans can afford to part with Jones given their depth on the wing and the likelihood of adding another perimeter player in the draft.
Why This Is the Right Move
Trading Allen is not a condemnation of his value. He has been a consummate professional and a key part of Cleveland’s rise. But the NBA is a league of fit and timing. The Cavaliers’ core needs a shakeup to address its postseason limitations, and Allen’s skill set is now more replaceable given Mobley’s development. The return of a player like Herb Jones would instantly upgrade Cleveland’s wing defense, while Olynyk’s expiring contract and the draft pick provide both short-term flexibility and long-term upside.
Moreover, the financial relief from moving Allen’s contract is significant. It allows the Cavaliers to better navigate the punitive second apron, potentially re-sign key role players, and avoid being hamstrung by future tax restrictions.
The Cavaliers’ early playoff exit has made it clear that change is necessary. Jarrett Allen, as valuable as he has been, is the player Cleveland must trade this offseason. By moving Allen for a package centered around Herb Jones, Kelly Olynyk, and a future first-round pick, the Cavaliers can address their most glaring weaknesses, regain financial flexibility, and set themselves up for a deeper playoff run in 2026. Sometimes, the hardest move is the right one-and for Cleveland, it’s time to turn the page.
