Jarrett Allen Trade May Be On the Table for the Clippers After Cavs' Playoff Exit

The Los Angeles Clippers may be in offseason mode, but the NBA Playoffs are in full swing. As more teams suffer postseason disappointment, the trade market for the summer is taking shape. The Cleveland Cavaliers are the latest team to fall after getting swept by the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. This presents an opportunity for the Clippers.

Cavs' Embarrassing Exit Creates a Jarrett Allen Trade Opportunity for Clippers

The way the Cavs were embarrassed in one of the most lopsided conference finals ever will augur significant changes in Cleveland. The Cavs not only had the highest payroll in the league, but they were also the only team above the second apron. They project to be over it again next season. Given how far they seem to be from winning a title, they will be forced to make personnel changes with the hopes of getting cheaper.

This will likely make Jarrett Allen available on the trade block. Evan Mobley is the future in Cleveland. They just traded for James Harden, and Donovan Mitchell is the best player on the team. Allen, with his $28 million salary for next season, is the most tradeable high-salary player on the roster.

He is also an excellent fit in Los Angeles. Allen already has excellent chemistry with Darius Garland from their time in Cleveland. They were a dangerous pick-and-roll duo for years, and the Clippers could build a strong offense centered around the two-man game.

Plus, the Clippers have a massive hole at center. They finished the season with Brook Lopez as the only healthy center on the roster. His future in LA is unclear as the Clippers have a team option on the 38-year-old. Yanic Konan Niederhauser and Isaiah Jackson are still under contract, but the Clippers' need for a starting center is obvious.

Allen is a very good rim protector. He can be a defensive anchor similar to Ivica Zubac while providing solid rim-running and finishing on the offensive side of the ball. At age 28, he still has multiple seasons ahead of him where he can be a quality two-way option at center.

The Clippers can use Bennedict Mathurin and/or John Collins in a sign-and-trade scenario to acquire Allen. Derrick Jones Jr. and Kris Dunn could be used to match salaries as well. Picking up the team options on Brook Lopez and Bogdan Bogdanovic to then trade them for Allen is also a possibility. Depending on Cleveland's interest in these players, the Clippers will have to use some draft capital.

A future first-round pick should be enough to poach Allen, who could make sure the Clippers don't think about the starting center spot for a long time.

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