Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers
Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images
Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers
After being elimintated in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers could look to make some changes to the current roster.
Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report recently shared a trade proposal that would land Cameron Johnson of the Brooklyn Nets in Cleveland. However, the trade would see Jarrett Allen heading in the opposite direction.
Hughes’ trade proposal looks like this:
Cavaliers Get: Cameron Johnson
Nets Get: Jarrett Allen, Jaylon Tyson, a 2031 first-round pick (lottery protected)
“Cleveland gets a floor-stretching combo forward to play next to Mobley in five-out sets, while the Nets get a starting center in his prime who could bring in even more assets in a subsequent deal—all with a recent first-rounder in Tyson and another future pick attached as sweeteners,” Hughes wrote.
Allen has been a core part of the Cavaliers’ roster in recent years. His partnership with Evan Mobley has led to some elite defense, with a significant rim deterrent in place. Nevertheless, Mobley is talented enough to anchor the middle of the court and could thrive with another three-level scorer in the rotation.
The problem with this proposed trade, is that Brooklyn already has Nic Claxton. As such, it’s unlcear why they would need Allen, who’s skill set is highly comparable.
Cavaliers’ Jarrett Allen Told to Add Toughness
According to former Cavaliers big man Channing Frye, Jarrett Allen needs to toughen up and become more physical.
“It’s really been bothering me… Jarrett Allen is not a playoff big man,” Frye said during a recent episode of the “Road Trippin’” podcast. “That is my statement. He is not physically dominant. He is not physically aggressive… At some point, as the main dude – the biggest dude on your team – you’ve gotta f*** somebody up once in a while.”
In his 9 playoff games this season, Allen averaged 13.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists. He shot 72.1% from the field. Allen has had better postseason performances in recent years and will likely want to bounce back stronger next season. However, at times, he did look like the physicality was too much for him. A summer in the weights room could help alleviate some of those issues.
Cavaliers’ Darius Garland Also Told to Get Stronger
During a recent news conference, Koby Altman pinpointed Darius Garland‘s lack of strength as a weak point in his game that must be fixed.
“He (Garland) needs to get stronger so he can compete at the highest level,” Altman said. “It’s the same thing that [happened] with Stephen Curry. … Now, Steph is all-world. I’m not making that comparison. But Steph got stronger … over his years. He’s a different physical specimen than he was when he first started playing.”
Garland has struggled with physicality throughout his NBA career. He often gets taken out of plays by strong screens or well-timed bumps. He must add some size if he wants to emerge as a viable two-way player for the Cavaliers. Otherwise, he will continue to be a target for opposing teams when playing defense, especially in the playoffs.