The Cavaliers may have one more real chance to shake up their offseason, and it starts with Jarrett Allen.
Allen has been productive in the regular season for years, but the same playoff issues keep following him around. He has struggled with physicality, and his perimeter defense has often made him hard to keep on the floor when the games get tighter.
That is why Cleveland should at least listen if a team is willing to take on his contract and return real value. And according to Cleveland sports journalist Nick Pedone, the New Orleans Pelicans have shown interest in Allen.
If that interest is legitimate, the Cavaliers should have one name at the top of their wish list: Trey Murphy III.
Murphy has become one of the league’s most intriguing young wings. He can defend multiple spots, his shooting has taken a leap, and he plays the kind of connected team basketball that fits almost any contender.
He has that OG Anunoby to his game, and he just showed how valuable a wing like that can be in the postseason. He was the New York Knicks' X-Factor all year long, and especially in the NBA Finals.
The problem, of course, is price. The Pelicans have reportedly set a steep asking price for Murphy, and multiple first-round picks are likely part of the conversation. Cleveland might be able to bring that number down by including Allen as part of the package.
That kind of move would leave the Cavaliers dangerously thin at center. Evan Mobley is not a full-time answer there, and Cleveland would still need another big who can run the floor and clean the glass, even if offense is not part of the job description.
Still, Allen’s place in the organization is not in question. He is well-liked in the locker room, respected in the building, and viewed by the front office as one of the core pieces in the team’s championship picture. He has said the right things since arriving in Northeast Ohio, and nobody in Cleveland doubts his professionalism.
But keeping the same group together and expecting a different result is a dead-end. Moving Darius Garland was the first step in breaking up the core four, and the Cavs probably should not stop there.
If the Pelicans are truly open to a deal built around Murphy, Cleveland should not hesitate. They should thank Allen for what he has done and move him on.
In Other News...
Cavs Face A Bleak Reality In Their Search For Wing Help
The Cavaliers are still trying to find wing help before training camp, and the names at the center of the search are Jonathan Kuminga and Peyton Watson. Both would fit a roster that could use more size and athleticism on the perimeter, but Cleveland is working against a tight financial picture and a front office reality that makes quick fixes hard to come by.
There is also more business to sort through, with the Cavs needing to negotiate a new contract with James Harden after declining his player option. For now, the challenge is not just identifying the right target, but finding a path to get one, and the route would almost certainly require help from another team to make the sign-and-trade work. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Are Betting Big On One Offseason Gamble Around Their Core
The Cavaliers have spent most of the offseason doing what contenders often do when they believe their best path is already in place: protect the core and avoid unnecessary noise. Donovan Mitchells new four-year extension and James Hardens return give Cleveland a steady base around Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, and the front office has treated continuity as its priority while the rest of the league keeps reshaping itself.
But there is still some maneuvering left before the roster picture settles. Cleveland has been poking around the margins for ways to add talent without running into salary cap trouble, and the interest in young, versatile help has created a waiting game that could stretch into late summer. A sign-and-trade would make the math cleaner, but for now the Cavaliers are stuck balancing patience with the pressure to keep up in the East. [Read more 🡒]