The Hawks have been poking around the center market all offseason, and Jarrett Allen has emerged as the name worth watching. Atlanta still brought back Jock Landale on a one-year deal, but that hasn’t stopped the team from searching for a bigger upgrade behind Onyeka Okongwu.
Okongwu has been a strong starter for Atlanta, but his size remains part of the conversation. That’s why Allen stands out. He brings real value on the glass, has been a solid rim protector in the past, and would give the Hawks a different look in the middle.
The problem is that Cleveland is not budging. NBA insider Jaker Fischer reported that Atlanta has already made its interest known, but the Cavaliers have not been willing to entertain moving their starting center:
"To answer a popular question in our Substack Chat room: Sources say that the Hawks have indeed made their interest in Jarrett Allen known to Cleveland for some time, but I'm told that Cleveland still has not entertained moving its starting center."
Allen’s numbers last season show why he’s appealing. He averaged 15.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and shot 64% from the field. Cleaning the Glass also had Cleveland at a +2.3% offensive rebounding rate with Allen on the floor, which ranked in the 75th percentile.
That kind of production would fit nicely next to Okongwu, but getting there is where things get messy. Allen is on a $28 million salary this season, and Atlanta already has 17 players on the roster, which is two over the regular-season limit. Any deal would likely require the Hawks to move at least three players just to get down to 15, and that’s before accounting for the salary side of the equation.
The sign-and-trade path would also be complicated by Cleveland’s reported interest in Hawks free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga. Even if the Cavaliers were open to dealing Allen, Atlanta would likely need to include Kuminga and draft capital to make it happen. On top of that, the Hawks are not expected to want to push into the luxury tax, so shedding money would matter just as much as adding talent.
There’s another hurdle, too: Cleveland may not have much interest in the Hawks’ available pieces such as Corey Kispert, Buddy Hield, Ryan Nembhard, Devin Carter, and Mouhamed Gueye. Atlanta could try to bring in a third team to help grease the wheels, but that’s easier said than done.
Allen’s contract only climbs from here, with $30.2 million in 2027-2028 and $32.5 million in 2028-2029. That’s a hefty price tag, but it’s in line with what a starting center can command.
The fit is obvious enough, especially for a Hawks team trying to patch a hole in the frontcourt. Still, for now, this looks more like a name on Atlanta’s radar than a move that’s actually close.
In Other News...
Hawks Rumors Are Finally Testing How Aggressive Onsi Saleh Really Is
The Hawks are still in the early stages of sorting out how they want to reshape the roster, but the direction is becoming clearer. Atlanta has 17 players on hand and will need to trim to 15 before the 2026-27 season, which gives the front office a little time but not much room for indecision. Along the way, the team has been linked to a few bigger swings as it looks for ways to upgrade the group around its core.
One of those ideas involves Peyton Watson, with Atlanta considering a sign-and-trade while he remains a restricted free agent. The broader picture is what makes the rumor mill worth watching: the Hawks are trying to be opportunistic, and every possible move carries roster implications. Nothing has been finalized yet, but the fact that Atlanta is exploring multiple paths suggests the next few decisions could say a lot about how aggressive the front office plans to be. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Still Arent Getting The Kuminga Deal They Need
The Hawks are still carrying 17 players as the regular season approaches, which leaves them needing to trim the roster by two and keeps Jonathan Kuminga at the center of their summer math. Atlanta has explored the possibility of bringing him back or moving him in a sign-and-trade, with Cleveland and Los Angeles the two teams most often tied to the discussion, but nothing has moved far enough to solve the roster crunch.
For now, the hold-up is simple: the Hawks have not seen an offer they like enough to turn a complicated fit into a clean transaction. Clevelands cap situation makes a sign-and-trade the path forward, while the Lakers have also been in the mix, but Atlanta is still waiting for a framework that makes sense on both the basketball and roster-management fronts. [Read more 🡒]