Cleveland Cavaliers may need to trade NBA All-Star soon

The Cleveland Cavaliers will soon have to make a decision regarding Jarrett Allen's future.

With the overall cost of the team continuing to grow, the Cavs may need to make a trade or two to keep the salary at a normal level. That's why Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes suggested the team could trade Allen ahead of the February deadline.

"Evan Mobley is spending roughly two-thirds of his minutes at center these days, and Jarrett Allen is only averaging 26.1 minutes per game, his lowest figure since his rookie year in 2017-18. Together, those factors suggest any significant trade the Cleveland Cavaliers make could involve Allen," Hughes wrote.

"It has long felt like the absolute apex version of the Cavs features Mobley, not Donovan Mitchell, as their best player. Mobley's offensive growth this year hasn't lived up to expectations, but his value on that end of the floor is far greater if he's playing the 5 with maximum spacing. Allen is still a starting-caliber center, but Cleveland is a second-apron team and can't justify paying him first-unit money if the ultimate plan is to feature Mobley at the same position."

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen reacts after the Houston Rockets. | David Dermer-Imagn Images

Allen could be traded soon by Cavs

Allen has struggled to stay healthy this season, playing in just 15 of the team's first 25 games. This has given the Cavs a chance to see what life would be like without Allen in the lineup.

The Cavs have struggled, only winning 14 of their first 25 games. Considering the fact they only lost 18 games throughout the entirety of last year's 82-game season, this is quite a drop from where they once were.

The Cavs might be able to find better balance if they were to trade Allen for another wing or guard, but they need to go for the right deal. It's one thing to trade Allen, but it's another to have intention with the trade rather than just doing it to ensure that they get some value back from him in return.

That doesn't mean the Cavs should or shouldn't trade Allen, but if they do, they need to make sure they get good value out of it.

In the meantime, the Cavs are in the nation's capital to take on the Washington Wizards in their next game. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET inside Capital One Arena. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on NBA Week Pass.