Report: Cavaliers’ Jarrett Allen Has Numerous Admirers In Rival Front Offices

The Cavaliers could trade Allen this summer. 

“Look for Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen to become one of the most coveted trade targets in the league this offseason if the Cavaliers A) succeed in signing Donovan Mitchell to a contract extension and then B) prioritize signing Evan Mobley to a potentially maximum contract extension this summer as increasingly expected,” Stein wrote. “Allen continues to have numerous admirers in rival front offices despite the whispers of frustration circulating in Cleveland surrounding Allen’s apparent reluctance to take a pain-killing injection to address a rib injury that sidelined him for the Cavaliers’ final eight playoff games.”

Allen has two years and $40 million left on his contract. The center averaged 16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.1 blocks this season while shooting 63.4% from the field and 74.2% from the free-throw line. 

The Cavaliers lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round of this year’s playoffs in five games after beating the Orlando Magic in the first round in seven games. According to NBA insiders Shams Charania, Joe Vardon and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, some members of the Cavaliers were frustrated Allen refused an injection to try and numb the pain in his rib and play. 

Allen missed the entire Cavaliers-Celtics series with a rib injury. 

“Allen played in 81 consecutive games counting the regular season and postseason,” Charania, Vardon and Lloyd wrote. “He was initially hit in the ribs in Game 1 against Orlando, and in Game 4 of that series, an elbow by Franz Wagner ‘pierced’ a rib on Allen’s right side, according to multiple team sources. The team listed him as ‘questionable’ to play in every game after that, which means there is a chance, though he was never close to getting back into uniform.

“Few if any, members of the organization doubted the discomfort Allen has been in since the injury, but the frustration among some members of the team was that he refused an injection to try and numb the pain and play.”

Allen has career averages of 12.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.3 blocks with the Brooklyn Nets and Cavaliers. The Texas product has been linked to the New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder and Sacramento Kings.