The Cleveland Cavaliers’ busy summer has already changed the shape of the roster, and now one more move appears to be lurking down the road. After bringing in James Harden and Peyton Watson, Cleveland is being projected to eventually move on from Jarrett Allen.
The pressure point is money. Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney wrote that the Cavaliers’ latest roster construction may not hold up for long with the second apron hanging over everything.
“The Cavaliers managed to finagle their way under the second apron while adding Peyton Watson to the roster. It was great work, but it is unsustainable with the second apron. Someone likely will need to go by next summer, and Allen is the most likely,” Deveney wrote.
Allen would be the name to watch if Cleveland has to create more room. The Cavaliers already have Evan Mobley, which makes Allen the most movable big on the roster, even though he remains an All-Star. He has also earned $109 million in his career.
That possibility comes after a string of major moves for Cleveland. The team was eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals last season after making several changes at the trade deadline, including the addition of Harden. Cleveland now appears to believe Harden and Donovan Mitchell can form its next elite pairing.
The Cavaliers also made another notable addition this summer by trading for Peyton Watson. Bleacher Report’s Joseph Rucker detailed the full deal this way:
“Denver is trading Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers and will receive Cleveland's 2031 first-round pick and a 2032 second-rounder from the Sacramento Kings. The Cavs are sending Max Strus to the Los Angeles Clippers, which gives them the flexibility to sign Watson to a four-year, $88 million contract. There were multiple other minor moves involved to complete the deal, including the Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets," Bleacher Report's Joseph Rucker wrote.
Harden then opted out of his contract to help Cleveland keep building, and his new deal placed him in rare company. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the terms of the agreement and the career-earnings milestone it could unlock.
“Free agent James Harden agreed to a new three-year, $97 million contract to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, with a player option for 2028-29 and a trade kicker, agents Mike Silverman, Troy Payne and Brandon Grier of Equity Sports told ESPN on Thursday. Currently, just two players in NBA history have eclipsed the $500 million mark in career earnings: Philadelphia's LeBron James and Houston's Kevin Durant. Harden sits at $414 million and would join the exclusive club after completing this new deal," ESPN's Shams Charania wrote.
For now, the Cavaliers have their stars in place. But if the cap math keeps tightening, Allen could be the one who eventually gets squeezed out.
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