Potential Trade Destinations for Jarrett Allen

Amid the Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley speculation, many are expecting Cleveland Cavaliers center, Jarrett Allen, to be on the trade market this offseason. While he is not a superstar, the one-time All-Star is a reliable rim-protecting big man who can thrive in the right environment.

“Allen continues to have numerous admirers in rival front offices despite the whispers of frustration circulating in Cleveland surrounding (his) apparent reluctance to take a painkilling injection to address a rib injury that sidelined him for the Cavaliers’ final eight playoff games,” reports NBA insider Marc Stein.

The big man is coming off a season where he averaged 16.5 points, 1.1 blocks, and 10.5 total rebounds per contest and finished 10th in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Possible Landing Spots for Jarrett Allen if he is Traded

Chicago Bulls

With the speculation surrounding Zach LaVine, a trade involving him for Allen could be in the cards. With LaVine’s ability to shoot from beyond the arc and play off the ball, he would not be a bad fit alongside Donovan Mitchell. As for Chicago, they would get some much-needed assistance down low protecting the rim. The Bulls’ backline defense was a point of contention this past year. A package consisting of LaVine of draft picks for Jarrett Allen is not out of the question for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies have a considerable void in their frontcourt after Steven Adams left. Jarrett Allen would be a terrific fit adding some more defensive versatility. Not to mention, he would form a dynamic defensive one-two punch alongside former Defensive Player of the Year, Jaren Jackson. Memphis had a down year, but with Ja Morant coming back healthy, expect them to be back in thick of contention next season. Adding Jarrett Allen would give them a nice star trio consisting of the All-Star center, Jaren Jackson, and Ja Morant.

Phoenix Suns

The Suns have plenty of work to do to improve their roster this offseason. Not only do they need a true point guard but adding some defensive intensity to their frontcourt should also be a priority. Jarrett Allen would be a considerable upgrade over Jusuf Nurkic. The caveat here is that a third team would have to be involved in this scenario. Phoenix has no desirable draft capital and the assets they do have to offer would not suit Cleveland’s situation. While the Suns are the least likely of these three teams to land Allen, they are still a squad that would be a terrific fit for the rim-protector.