CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cavs are 10-5 heading into tonight’s home game against the Rockets and are second in the Eastern Conference, but something doesn’t feel right. Coach Kenny Atkinson described it perfectly after Monday’s win over the Bucks: “It’s a slog.”
Behind the Cavs’ winning record lurks a brewing controversy that could reshape their season: Is Jarrett Allen still considered part of the team’s “Core Four”? And if not, is a trade in the works?
Cleveland.com columnist Terry Pluto took up that question on the latest episode of Terry’s Talkin’ podcast, when host David Campbell brought up Allen’s notable absence from fourth-quarter action in recent games. On Monday night, Allen did not play a minute in the fourth quarter.
Pluto said Allen’s value extends beyond whether he’s playing in crunch time.
And while some might view his fourth-quarter benchings as evidence he’s expendable, Pluto sees it differently: Allen’s contract and team-first attitude make him worth keeping regardless.
“I think that they’ll keep him because even if he isn’t ‘one of the Core Four,’ I mean, he makes less money than DeAndre Hunter. He’s the 88th-highest-paid player in the league,” Pluto said. “And he has the mentality that if they were to ask him to come off the bench, which has been my thing going all along, you’ve got him.
“You trade Allen, then if Evan Mobley gets hurt? What have you got?”
Pluto believes Allen’s value also comes from his reliability and offensive efficiency, even if his decision-making occasionally frustrates. “I’ve always been big on Allen because of the contract situation. I mean, he did a couple of things the other night. It’s like he got the ball five feet from the basket and threw it to the corner. Will you shoot the ball? You shoot 70% from the field, you’re five feet from the basket. Don’t do that. Just put it in.”
The conversation highlighted how Allen’s situation represents a broader challenge for the Cavaliers as they navigate a season where expectations are sky-high. Atkinson is still learning what he has, experimenting with lineups, and trying to determine the best way to utilize his talent.
“To me, them being 10-5 at this point, I’m really happy with that,” Pluto said. “I don’t care if Kenny’s worried about slogs or whatever it is.”
Here’s the podcast for this week:
If you have a question or a topic you’d like to see included on the podcast, email it to sports@cleveland.com, and put “Terry’s Talkin’” in the subject line.
You can find previous podcasts below.
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