The Cleveland Cavaliers are at a crossroads, and the clock is ticking.
With a 15-14 record and three straight losses to sub-.500 teams, the Cavs are hanging onto the seventh seed in the East by a thread. This wasn’t how the season was supposed to unfold.
The schedule had been favorable, but Cleveland hasn’t capitalized. Now, just days before their Christmas Day matchup with the Knicks, the Cavs are staring down the very real possibility of falling below .500 this late into the season-something that hasn’t happened in years.
According to recent reports, only Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley are considered untouchable within the organization. That doesn’t mean the Cavs are holding a fire sale, but the trade window is officially open. And with the way things are trending, Cleveland might have no choice but to make a move.
The Garland Question
Darius Garland’s name has come up in trade chatter, but don’t expect the Cavs to deal him just yet. He’s not at peak value, and Cleveland knows it. Trading a core piece when his stock is low is rarely a smart play, especially when you’re not just trying to shake things up-you’re trying to fix a team that’s underperforming on both ends of the floor.
Injuries have definitely played a role in Cleveland’s struggles, but the issues go deeper. The effort simply hasn’t been there.
The Cavs have lacked energy, especially in key moments, and it's showing. If they’re going to make a move, it has to be for a player who brings toughness, edge, and the kind of motor that can jolt a locker room back to life.
Enter Bennedict Mathurin
That player might just be Bennedict Mathurin.
The Indiana Pacers wing is reportedly on the trade block, and not because of his performance-quite the opposite. Mathurin is averaging 18.9 points and 5.5 rebounds a night, while shooting a strong 37.6% from deep as a starter. At 23 years old, he’s putting up career-highs across the board and playing with the kind of fire that Cleveland could desperately use.
The Pacers, however, are looking ahead. With Mathurin’s rookie deal expiring this summer and Indiana reportedly hesitant to commit to his next contract, they’re exploring ways to flip him for a long-term frontcourt piece. That’s where Cleveland comes in.
Two Teams, One Solution
On paper, the Cavs and Pacers don’t look like ideal trade partners-division rivals rarely make deals. But this might be the exception.
Indiana is in the market for a starting center, especially with Myles Turner gone and Tyrese Haliburton rehabbing from an Achilles injury. The Cavs, meanwhile, are overloaded in the frontcourt and need a wing who can space the floor, defend multiple positions, and bring playoff-ready intensity.
Jarrett Allen, whose $28 million salary next season could be a cap-clearing move for Cleveland, fits what Indiana needs: a mobile big who can run pick-and-rolls with Haliburton and anchor the defense. In return, the Cavs would get Mathurin-and possibly Jarace Walker, a young forward who’s slipped down the Pacers’ rotation but still holds promise.
For Cleveland, it’s a chance to change the team’s identity. Mathurin is the kind of player who doesn’t back down.
He’s physical, vocal, and not afraid to stir the pot-just ask De’Andre Hunter. During last year’s playoff series, Mathurin’s relentless trash talk and chippy play led to a heated altercation with Hunter, who ended up shoving him to the floor and taking a technical.
That edge? That’s exactly what the Cavs are missing.
A Risk Worth Taking
Adding Mathurin would shake things up in Cleveland’s locker room, no doubt. He’s not a quiet addition.
He’s a disruptor, but in the best way-someone who forces teammates to raise their level or get left behind. He can guard 1 through 4, knock down threes, and crash the glass.
He’s not a star yet, but he plays like someone who wants to be.
And that’s the kind of hunger this Cavaliers team needs.
Moving Allen wouldn’t be easy. He’s been a steady presence and a big part of Cleveland’s recent success. But with Mobley ready to take on a full-time role at center, and the Cavs stuck in the second tax apron with limited flexibility, this might be the only path forward that adds real value without gutting the core.
Walker, meanwhile, would give the Cavs another versatile body in the frontcourt-someone who can defend, rebound, and provide depth behind Mobley. It’s not just a one-for-one swap; it’s a reshaping of the roster to better fit the modern NBA.
The Bottom Line
Cleveland’s current formula isn’t working. They’ve got talent, but the pieces aren’t clicking.
The effort isn’t consistent. The energy isn’t there.
And in a crowded Eastern Conference, waiting for things to magically turn around isn’t a strategy-it’s a gamble.
Bennedict Mathurin might not be the most obvious solution. He might even ruffle a few feathers.
But he’s got the tools, the attitude, and the playoff experience to give this Cavaliers team a new edge. And if that means parting with Allen to make it happen, it’s a move worth considering.
The Pacers need a center. The Cavs need a jolt.
The fit is there. Now it’s just a matter of whether both sides are bold enough to pull the trigger.