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...
Former Cavs Big Lands Intriguing New Role With Real Madrid
The Cavaliers summer roster shuffle has already sent a few familiar names to new places, with Thomas Bryant returning to Cleveland and Mario Hezonja arriving from Real Madrid. Around the league, former Cavs forward Larry Nance Jr. landed a one-year deal with the Indiana Pacers, while Keon Ellis and Dean Wade moved on with the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, respectively.
Another former Cleveland big man is now headed to an intriguing stop in Europe. Olivier Sarr, who briefly spent time with the Cavaliers, has signed a two-year deal with Real Madrid and will join former Celtics player Max Shulga there, giving the Spanish powerhouse another NBA-connected addition as it continues to stockpile talent. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Face A Risky Peyton Watson Question As Interest Builds
The Cavaliers interest in Peyton Watson makes sense on paper. Denvers forward flashed enough last season to catch Clevelands attention, and the front office is digging into the usual blend of advanced metrics and scouting to figure out whether the fit would translate in a new setting. For a team always weighing upside against certainty, Watson represents the kind of swing that can be tempting if the evaluation comes back clean.
The issue, of course, is how much of last season to trust. Watson had a strong stretch that showed what he can do when things click, but Cleveland still has to decide whether that version is the real one or just the best snapshot of a larger, less consistent body of work. For now, the Cavaliers are only in the evaluation stage, and the bigger question is whether the interest turns into something more serious. [Read more 🡒]
Meleek Thomas May Have Already Forced The Cavs Into A Decision
Meleek Thomas strong Summer League showing may already be changing the Cavs thinking on the back end of the roster. Cleveland had brought in Dennis Schroder as a veteran point guard option, but the rookies early impression gave the front office a reason to look harder at how much guard depth it really needed before the regular season.
The result was a move that opened up a little more flexibility while shifting the conversation toward Thomas role sooner than expected. For a team trying to balance immediate stability with long-term upside, that kind of pivot matters, especially when a young player starts making a case before the real games even begin. [Read more 🡒]