The Cleveland Cavaliers finished as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference last season, but after a quiet summer in Ohio, they are poised to regress a little. The Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic both had busy offseasons, and the Indiana Pacers are coming off a Conference Finals appearance, so there should be a bit of pressure on the Cavs.
On the other hand, the Golden State Warriors are fighting hard to stay relevant after missing the playoffs and losing Klay Thompson in free agency. While they have made some offseason moves to boost their chances, they have not added a legitimate star next to Stephen Curry and are instead relying on internal development from Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga .
The Cavaliers signed Jarrett Allen to a three-year, $91 million maximum extension this summer, but have made it clear that they are not looking to keep him with Evan Mobley long-term, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. Allen is one of the best centers in the NBA and could be used as a trade chip while Cleveland addresses their own shortcomings.
As Cleveland looks to bolster their defense and wings, expect them to shop Allen up until the deadline, and the Warriors would make an ideal trade partner. If the Warriors are surging and exceeding expectations, adding Allen would make them legitimate title contenders, and if they are floundering, he could give them a much-needed boost into the postseason.
A Mock Trade That Works for Everyone
Both Cleveland and Golden State would fix their weaknesses
Kevon Looney is the Warriors’ weakest starter, although he would make for a solid backup center. Aside from Mobley, Cleveland is lacking in the frontcourt. Cleveland could also use defensive-minded wings to go up against Paolo Banchero , Franz Wagner , Jayson Tatum , Jaylen Brown , Paul George , and OG Anunoby in the postseason, so expect them to be looking at 3-and-D players.
In our proposed mock trade, Cleveland recoups some of the draft capital it lost in the trade that got them Donovan Mitchell , while also landing some promising defensive talents to help them compete. The Warriors, meanwhile, get an All-Star player to pair with Curry, forming a dangerous pick-and-roll duo in The Bay.
