The Cleveland Cavaliers are at a crossroads.
On the one hand, the Cavs are staring down a path of perennial playoff contention. Led by All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland has put together a strong team; one capable of dominating defensively. The calisthenics that went into building the roster has left the front office in a conundrum though.
Cavs At Trade Crossroads During Pivotal Offseason
Donovan Mitchell’s Hesitation
The Cavs’ biggest problem is that they traded for Mitchell without securing a long-term commitment first. Like the New York Knicks with OG Anunoby, this leaves them vulnerable to disaster. Though Mitchell may be leaning towards staying with the Cavs, nothing is guaranteed until he’s signed a contract extension. Yet, his hesitation to do so leaves open the possibility that he’ll walk away from Cleveland in free agency.
If that happens, the Cavs will have traded an awful lot for little more than memories.
Darius Garland’s Ultimatum
On top of that, Cleveland’s franchise point guard has developed an aversion to playing with Mitchell. The No. 5 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Darius Garland‘s potential has yet to be fully realized with the Cavs. For all of Cleveland’s talk about prioritizing his development, their focus shifted once they landed Mitchell. Now, Garland’s star power is being stifled, the touches he imagined having now going to someone who just got there. The situation isn’t quite calamitous, but it’s likely untenable.
As a result, the 24-year-old has expressed a desire to be traded if Mitchell stays in Cleveland.
Jarrett Allen’s Gamesmanship
Then there’s Jarrett Allen, who’s arguably been more impactful than even Evan Mobley. He’s an excellent finisher above and below the rim. He can shoot out to the midrange. He’s a high-end rim-protector but fluid enough to be trusted on the perimeter. Mobley’s multi-faceted defense makes him Cleveland’s defensive linchpin, but Allen is their anchor.
Yet, after Allen refused a cortisol shot that would have allowed him to play through an injury this postseason, it rubbed some of his teammates the wrong way. Consequently, rumors began circulating about the Cavs’ desire to move on from the big man. It doesn’t help that there have been questions about his long-term fit alongside Mobley for at least a year.
As Cleveland gave up two players and two picks to get Allen, they’d likely want at least that much back in a trade. However, the Cavs have “not been truly keen on entertaining rival teams’ offers for Allen,” per Yahoo Sports insider Jake Fischer.
This is primarily because “the shot-blocker and rim-runner developed a strong on-court connection with (Mitchell) during a stretch of winning 17 of 18 games this winter — largely without (Garland) and (Mobley).” In that stretch, Allen averaged 17.3 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game, making 61.2 percent of his shot attempts.
Koby Altman’s Choice
Considering this news and Cavs president Koby Altman expressing his reluctance to break up their starting backcourt, it seems like Cleveland prefers to run it back in 2024-25. Indeed, “the Cavs don’t appear very motivated to listen to trade inquiries for any member of their core four… even with the possibility that Garland’s representation at Klutch Sports could move to request a trade if Mitchell extends long term.”
This decision is a head-scratcher because if Cleveland sits on their hands this offseason, they risk a roster blow-up. Mitchell is a superb talent, but is he worth losing Garland? In fact, with Garland coming off of one of his less impressive seasons, how much would they get in a trade? Furthermore, if the team is keeping Allen, can they trust him to put the team before himself? Similarly to the Garland-Mitchell dilemma, the Mobley-Allen pairing may be holding back the USC product. If so, wouldn’t it be prudent to send Allen to one of his many trade suitors?
Though the first domino may be whether Mitchell’s contract extension, but it doesn’t have to be. The Cavs could take destiny into their own hands, moving any member of the core to smooth out the wrinkles. It’s Altman’s choice though.
