New Blockbuster Three-Team Trade Proposal Sends Jarrett Allen to Warriors, Kuminga to Cavaliers, Hawks Add Depth

After being eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round, it's clear the Golden State Warriors need to consider changes. Acquiring Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline helped improve their roster, but their matchup against the Timberwolves showed that the Warriors still need more on defense and could use more shooting. They had no answer for Julius Randle in the Timberwolves series and went on several cold streaks without Steph Curry to push them forward. Draymond Green has been an incredible defensive anchor throughout the Warriors' dynasty, but it's fair to wonder if the Warriors need to consider moving him from guarding centers and actually acquire a true big man. In short, Golden State needs a third source of offense beyond Curry and Butler who can also add to their defense and brings the size that their roster lacks.

The Cavaliers also experienced a second-round exit at the hands of the Indiana Pacers, but their path forward is a bit unclear. While they should be a playoff team again just by virtue of a weakened Eastern Conference, they're currently in the dreaded second apron and need to make trades in order to get into a more manageable cap situation. Cleveland lacked the athleticism and toughness necessary to keep up with the Pacers - could they look to move on from pieces like center Jarrett Allen and point guard Darius Garland to fix that?

Contrary to the other two second-round exits mentioned above, the Hawks missed the playoffs entirely after losing in the play-in. However, they have $40 million in cap space under the luxury tax threshold to work with this offseason and likely won't need to make any changes to their starting lineup of Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu. Due to injuries and a late promotion of Okongwu into the starting lineup, this starting five only got 14 minutes together. The Hawks still have to see how that lineup gels together, but it's clear that they need to make more additions in their rotation. Additional frontcourt depth, more defensive pieces and a capable shooter are all areas in which the team could improve before the 2025-26 season.

Given the situations of these three teams, what would a deal between them look like? Here is one possible framework.

It should be noted that this is just a speculative and fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks or any other teams should do or will do. That is all.

Atlanta Hawks Receive: Moses Moody and Dean Wade

Cleveland Cavaliers Receive: Jonathan Kuminga (S&T contract of 4-year, $85 million), 2027 2nd round pick (via CLE, from ATL)

Golden State Warriors Receive: Jarrett Allen, Georges Niang, 2025 2nd round pick (via CLE, #59), 2026 2nd round pick (via CLE), 2029 2nd round pick (via CLE, from ATL), 2031 2nd round pick (via ATL)

Why the Hawks would do this deal: Moody would help the Hawks' need for more shooting - he shot a career-best 37.4% from deep on 4.6 attempts per game and averaged a career-high 9.8 points per game. He's not solely reliant on his three-point shot, converting 72% of his shots at the rim (82nd percentile among all wings). Moody's a solid defender with long arms (7'0 wingspan) to get into passing lanes. He's not an elite shooter or defender, but he's solid in both areas and secured under contract for the next three years. Wade is good frontcourt depth for the Hawks to have. He offers some floor spacing (36% shooter from deep on 3.8 attempts per game), but his real value comes as a defender and rebounder. He can guard on the perimeter and helped keep the Cavs' second unit afloat on defense. Both players are two-way reserves who should be able to make a positive impact in the rotation when healthy.

Why the Hawks would not do this deal: Moody did not play well in the 2024-25 playoffs, especially when Curry went down with an injury and they needed him to step up. He played with a finger injury that required surgery after the Warriors were eliminated, but it is still concerning that he was not able to make an impact when they needed him. Wade is also not a particularly healthy player and hasn't played more than 60 games for four straight seasons.

Why the Cavaliers would do this deal: Jonathan Kuminga's flashes of potential are incredibly tantalizing. With Curry out in the Minnesota series, he dropped 30 points in Game 3 against a very strong Timberwolves defense. He's an incredibly athletic wing who converted on 72% of his attempts at the rim last season, good for the 87th percentile relative to all wings. One of his most useful skills is drawing tons of contact - he finished last season in the 94th percentile among wings for percentage of shots fouled on (16,5%). Although he's not a great defender, he has tons of defensive potential that shows up in spurts. The Cavaliers need a third scorer who can take some pressure from Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland - Kuminga could take on that role outside of the rigid Warriors' system. At only 22 years old, he still has a good bit of development left in his career.

Why the Cavaliers would not do this deal: Kuminga's shooting is a real problem. He's a great finisher inside the paint and can get by defenders due to his athleticism, but he shoots 35% on midrange attempts and only 66.8% from the free throw line. That could improve with playing next to two dynamic guards in Mitchell and Garland, as well as a floor-stretching big in Mobley, but it is concerning that he hasn't been able to show a more complete offensive skillset. Furthermore, while he has all the tools to be a great defender, he hasn't consistently shown himself to be a defensive stopper and needs more time to grow on that end. Losing Allen also removes some of the rim protection advantage that the Cavs have traditionally had over most teams.

Why the Warriors would do this deal: Allen seems like a player that would fit smoothly into Golden State's system. Defensively, the combination of him and Draymond would be very difficult for opponents to crack due to Allen's abilities as a rim protector and defensive rebounder. Impressively, Allen was only called for a defensive foul on 2.1% of team plays last season, which is in the 97th percentile for all bigs. On offense, he's a tremendous finisher around the rim, converting 77% of his looks from that distance (93rd percentile relative to centers last season). He has some touch from midrange as well, hitting 59% of his midrange shots (94th percentile across all centers). Considering that the Warriors could use a third scoring option, slotting a former All-Star center who scored 13.5 points last season would be a welcome addition. Similar to Buddy Hield, Niang is a true catch-and-shoot option who earns his place on the roster due to being a high-volume shooter. After being traded to the Hawks at the deadline, he averaged 12.1 points and shot 41.3% from deep on 6.6 attempts a game as he took on a heavy workload for Atlanta. He has limitations on defense due to being slow and non-athletic, but he's 6'8 and can hold his own against most matchups because of his defensive intelligence.

Why the Warriors would not do this deal: Allen's toughness has been questioned in two straight playoff series, the most recent of which he grabbed six rebounds across Games 4 and 5 of the Cavs' series against the Pacers. While he's a great regular season player, he's struggled to deliver that same impact in the postseason. Furthermore, he is a complete non-shooter and playing two non-shooters in the starting lineup could place a lot of pressure on a Warriors team that already needs better spacing. Although Niang gives tons of defensive effort, he can be targeted on that end and could prove to be a liability in the postseason.

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