The Cleveland Cavaliers have to figure out a way to get better next season.
The team took a big leap this season and proved that they could hold their own against the cream of the crop in the NBA.
Unfortunately, they still left plenty to be desired in the postseason.
That’s why, as much as they’ve always wanted to get to the next level with their core four, they might have no choice but to move one of those players.
Darius Garland’s injury may have shut down any chance of trading him this offseason, so analyst Jake Vulinec believes that Jarrett Allen might be the odd man out.
“It gets easier because it essentially forces your hand. Okay, you want to switch up the core four? Well, the move has basically been done for you. It is no longer Darius Garland in the conversation of moving. If you’re going to move off one of the core four members, at this point, it feels like it has to be Jarrett Allen. You don’t get better just by getting Jarrett Allen off the floor, I don’t think that’s true. But you have a route, a method to get better by moving Jarrett Allen,” Vulinec said, via 92.3 The fan.
“It potentially forces your hand. That’s going to be up to the Cavs to make the decision and prove everybody who’s on the other side of it wrong.”
🏀 @VulinecJake on how Darius Garland’s injury impacts #Cavs offseason, if core four remains ⬇️
🔊 Listen: https://t.co/CNP43JXOSE pic.twitter.com/Uc1MKQpd6L
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) June 19, 2025
Allen has been a steady contributor for years, and his relationship with head coach Kenny Atkinson dates to their days with the Brooklyn Nets.
However, Allen arguably was a liability in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers.
Of course, it would be unfair and inaccurate to place all the blame for the loss on him, but it was the third consecutive season when he has been a non-factor when it matters most.
He’s making too much money to come off the bench, as some claim his role should be.
Even after getting exposed in the postseason again, there should be a market for a proven veteran who’s been a consistent double-double producer and a solid rim protector throughout his career.
NEXT: Insider Puts Cavs On Notice About Core Players
