Jarrett Allen goes west in mock trade proposal

Could Cavs big man Jarrett Allen be heading west? That has been proposed in a mock trade appearing on Lake Show Life. 

The deal would see Jarrett Allen go to the Lakers in exchange for Rui Hachimura and a 2025 second-round selection courtesy of the LA Clippers. This trade is said to benefit both teams from the author’s point of view. 

“In the end, this trade is a trade of fit for both teams. The Cavaliers are looking to build around Mobley, which means putting shooters on the court at all times. The Lakers need another reliable center to fulfill their promise to Davis.“

While the point about building around Evan Mobley is incredibly valid, this is only taking the surface into account. It is not about the removal of Jarrett Allen, but the insertion of Hachimura into what Cleveland already has on the roster. 

The Cavs went out and signed Max Strus and Georges Niang this past off-season to supplement their roster. This is in addition to already having Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade on the roster. The Cavs also selected Emoni Bates in the second round of this most recent draft. This is already a pretty crowded group of players. It would only get more crowded by adding Hachimura into that mix. 

Cleveland already dealt two players this last off-season. Cedi Osman and Lamar Stevens were sent packing to clear some roster clutter. Unless they are not sold on Okoro and Wade being contributors and decide to also deal them, this trade does not make a lot of sense for Cleveland. It’s not about the talent of Hachimura. It is about how his addition would impact the current group of players already on the roster. 

So as far as this mock trade sending Jarrett Allen to the Lakers is concerned, it would be difficult to see the Cavs accepting this deal.