The Cleveland Cavaliers finished as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference last season, but after a quiet summer in Ohio, they are poised to regress a little. The Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic both had busy offseasons, and the Indiana Pacers are coming off a Conference Finals appearance, so there should be a bit of pressure on the Cavs.
On the other hand, the Golden State Warriors are fighting hard to stay relevant after missing the playoffs and losing Klay Thompson in free agency. While they have made some offseason moves to boost their chances, they have not added a legitimate star next to Stephen Curry and are instead relying on internal development from Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga .
The Cavaliers signed Jarrett Allen to a three-year, $91 million maximum extension this summer, but have made it clear that they are not looking to keep him with Evan Mobley long-term, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. Allen is one of the best centers in the NBA and could be used as a trade chip while Cleveland addresses their own shortcomings.
"It’s believed that Allen was essentially obligated to sign the deal before Aug. 6 as a condition of Cleveland extending him at the maximum amount allowed based on the 26-year-old’s current contract...Allen thus becomes eligible to be traded on Feb. 2, 2025 … four days before next season’s deadline. Rest assured that the Cavaliers’ proverbial phone will continue to ring with Allen interest." -Marc Stein
As Cleveland looks to bolster their defense and wings, expect them to shop Allen up until the deadline, and the Warriors would make an ideal trade partner. If the Warriors are surging and exceeding expectations, adding Allen would make them legitimate title contenders, and if they are floundering, he could give them a much-needed boost into the postseason.
A Mock Trade That Works for Everyone
Both Cleveland and Golden State would fix their weaknesses
Kevon Looney is the Warriors' weakest starter, although he would make for a solid backup center. Aside from Mobley, Cleveland is lacking in the frontcourt. Cleveland could also use defensive-minded wings to go up against Paolo Banchero , Franz Wagner , Jayson Tatum , Jaylen Brown , Paul George , and OG Anunoby in the postseason, so expect them to be looking at 3-and-D players.
In our proposed mock trade, Cleveland recoups some of the draft capital it lost in the trade that got them Donovan Mitchell , while also landing some promising defensive talents to help them compete. The Warriors, meanwhile, get an All-Star player to pair with Curry, forming a dangerous pick-and-roll duo in The Bay.
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Proposed Mock Trade Between CLE and GSW |
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Warriors Receive |
Cavaliers Receive |
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Jarrett Allen |
Kyle Anderson |
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Kevon Looney |
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Moses Moody |
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2025 and 2027 FRP (via GSW) |
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Looney would be pushed out of the rotation in Golden State anyway, and he would be a valuable, physical backup center when Mobley is sitting. Kyle Anderson is mostly included for salary relief, although his 105.9 career defensive rating would be well-received on a Cavaliers' team that currently relies on Isaac Okoro and Max Strus to shut down opposing scorers.
Moses Moody is a young, oversized shooting guard who has not cracked Steve Kerr 's rotation, although he would come off the bench with Caris LeVert and Okoro to build a solid second unit on Lake Erie. Allen, of course, is an All-Star and a high-level player, so the Warriors would have to send draft capital back to Cleveland to offer them some future flexibility.
For Cleveland, this deal is a way for them to regain some much-needed draft capital and address a position of need while getting rid of a valuable, although expendable, player. The Warriors are clearly in a state of desperation as Kerr and Curry try to win another ring together before Curry, 36, finally ages out of his prime.
