AUGUST 2: Allen’s extension is official, the Cavaliers announced in a press release.
“We couldn’t be more excited that Jarrett Allen chose to extend in Cleveland for the prime of his career,” president of basketball operations Koby Altman said. “Jarrett’s growth as a player, at just 26 years old, was accelerated when he earned his first All-Star selection in 2022. He is the anchor of our core group of players and his presence fits our vision for sustainable success. Jarrett also embodies the culture and values of our organization, and we look forward to achieving even greater things together.”
JULY 31: The Cavaliers and center Jarrett Allen have agreed to a three-year extension that will begin in 2026/27, when the big man’s current deal expires, agent Derrick Powell tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
According to Wojnarowski, the deal will be worth the maximum that Allen can receive on a veteran extension, which is just shy of $91MM over three years.
Players are permitted to receive up to 40% raises in the first year of an extension and Allen will make $20MM in 2025/26. That means he’ll earn $28MM in the first year of his new deal, followed by salaries of $30.24MM in ’27/28 and $32.48MM in ’28/29, for a total of $90.72MM.
Allen, 26, has spent the past three-and-a-half seasons in Cleveland, emerging as one of the NBA’s most reliable starting centers during that time. After starting his career in Brooklyn, he became a Cavalier as a result of the four-team blockbuster trade in January 2021 that sent James Harden to Brooklyn, then re-signed with the Cavs on a five-year, $100MM contract during the summer of 2021.
Allen was named an All-Star in 2022 and has averaged 15.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 31.8 minutes per game with a .642 FG% across 252 outings (241 starts) since arriving in Cleveland. He established new career highs in PPG (16.5) and APG (2.7) this past season, but a rib injury in April ended his season early, sidelining him for the Cavs’ last eight playoff games, including the entire second-round series vs. Boston.
Allen is the third Cavaliers starter to agree to a lucrative multiyear contract extension this offseason, joining Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. Cleveland will now have its top four players – Mitchell, Mobley, Allen, and Darius Garland – under contract through at least 2027 — Mitchell holds a player option for 2027/28.
While Allen has been the subject of some trade speculation in recent years – the Pelicans are known to have significant interest in him – signing this extension will make him ineligible to be dealt for six months.
Unless he waits until August 7 or later to sign his new contract, Allen will become trade-eligible prior to the February 6 trade deadline.
Great extension numbers!
I like Jarrett Allen, but paying out big money to him and Evan Mobley for the next 4 years doesn’t add up. 2 bigs that don’t stretch the floor isn’t consistent with the modern NBA. I wonder if this is one step towards trading Allen in a year or two.
Cavs have plenty of shooters. Evan is a beast, paying out $ to him is a privilege. For the Cavs, keeping him for his whole career is always gonna be a top priority for them, no matter who else is on the team. As far as Allen, you’re only thinking about offense & not the game as a whole. He definitely delivered for them & been their defensive anchor for some top team defenses. If Cavs made him available I’m sure Chicago would love to give up Vucevic and a few assets but even tho Vuce fits your vision better they’d most likely end up being a worse team overall.
Good take
Agreed. I’d love to see an Allen for Randle deal. Salaries are the same, he’s a 4 that can stretch and allow Mobley to play low at center. Knicks get that Center to replace IH and start with MR as a backup. OG to PF, bridges to SF and Donte back in the starting lineup.
Donte cannot replace what Randle does.
They wouldn’t need him to. Bridges will and can, but better.
You have your core all locked up on the books but another disappointing playoffs and something will have to change. Last offseason it was the coach who left and now it’s on the players.
In my opinion I’m not a fan of the double bigs in Mobley and Allen. I think Allen produces more but Mobley has bigger upside. In the end I think Garland will be the one who gets the most criticism but I just think that’s simply cause he’s not a great fit next to Donovan Mitchell.
I’ve always been a fan of 1 guard, 1 forward and 1 big if you’re having a big 3. Think Wade Bron Bosh or Rondo Pierce and KG.
In which case Garland and/or Mobley for an elite forward. Paolo Banchero/Scottie Barnes would be really cool.
Just Whoa. Trading Mobley is a horrendous idea. Garland would depend on who you get for him but Mobley. The only reason he hasn’t averaged 20 points a game is that he wasn’t given the ball enough. His shooting improved every year as his rebounding and passing have too. Minutes restrictions lowered his scoring average last year. Atkinson knows he has to get the ball in Mobley’s hands to take the next step as a team. Also don’t count on Mobley staying a non shooter. From a defensive perspective Allen and Mobley have the potential to be the games top front court duo. They are still kids and their rebounding will improve more. Also if I remember correctly that 2008 Celtics team you referenced had a big 4 with Rondo, Pierce, KG and Ray Allen. This Cavaliers quartet can be just as good or better.Yes they need a large order of wings. Maybe Tyson can be part of that order. And I’d love see us turn Okoro into Cam Johnson. We’d probably have to throw in LeVert and draft compensation. It would give us perhaps the NBA’s top starting 5 with no one over 30.
That’s the problem tho Mobley’s not going to get a bunch more touches without it affecting someone else. There’s only 1 basketball and you’ve got 4 guys that all want to produce numbers.
Last season he took 12 shots per game which is what he also did his previous two seasons in the league. Spida got 22.5, Garland took 14 and Allen got 9 alongside LeVert.
Mobley and Allen give you no spacing and Spida and Garland are more ball handlers than shooters (both shoot about 35% from 3 which is slightly below average for guards).
Strus, Okoro and so on none of them are shooters, if you want two bigs to work you need shooters and you don’t have that.
As I said me personally I’d be looking into moving Mobley. Allen doesn’t need the ball to be effective, he’s a hard worker, do the dirty things, wants to win, no ego guy. Mobley although he could be the better player just isn’t a fit….
Mobley also doesn’t need the ball to be effective, as proven the last three seasons despite your assertions that he needs more touches. If it’s one of the two, Allen is the one getting moved.
Honestly though, Garland should be the one going. Mitchell is perfectly solid as a PG and the primary ball-handler, and the team seems to operate better when he’s doing that. Garland is a good player, no question, but his fit is the worst in the starting 5. Playing Strus, Okoro, or LeVert at the 2 and Mitchell at point with a larger 3 on the wing upgrades the defense and spreads the touches out more effectively.
Also, just have to say that you clearly haven’t actually looked at the stats for the Cavs shooters. Garland, Mitchell and Okoro all shot at least 37% from 3 last year (Okoro shot 39%). And Mitchell and Garland are 38% career shooters.
And that Mobley has a 3pt stroke now. Can’t ignore him from the perimeter like people think. 37% last year (though yeah, limited touches, but that’s still encouraging).
Garland is a weak fit with Mobley. That said in 22-23 they looked good together. The trio of Strus, Okoro and LeVert at the 2 seems redundant. Any decent deal to move Garland has to include 1 of these 3. Certainly a larger 3 would be ideal. Tyson looks like a large 2 who rebounds. Would love to see if we could pry Tari Eason out of Houston. A nice 3 who can play the 4.
Undoubtedly Mobley’s touches will come from somewhere. Which is fine. He shoots a ridiculously good percentage and is excellent at passing the ball. Allen is the only player on the team with a better effective field goal percentage and his shots are mostly put backs and lobs. Increasing Mobley’s touches can only help the team. Allen may be a trade piece in the long run. That said if Mobley continues to improve from deep suddenly the pairing with Allen is brilliant.
Good luck
Allen has earned it. The Core 4 now has a chance to grow together. Kid is just getting started.
Uh Uh has no offensive skills. They pay all bums now
Yeah the has hit 64% of his shots for his career but he lacks offensive skills. SMH
celtics, knicks, sixers, pacers will still dogwalk them.
The Pacers who got crushed by the same Celtics the Cavs gave their hardest series this past postseason and could barely beat the Knicks with their entire roster in a hospital ward? C’mon, be serious. Knicks and Sixers are similar caliber to the Cavs. The Celtics are the kings of the East, but kings can be overthrown.
Pacers were hurt, or did you forget?
Excellent move …. Allen is easy to move. And will bring back high return. If they want go with Mobley at Center. Evan is still young and growing as a player.
Whatever the future holds for the Mobley-Allen tandum, it wouldn’t be a reason not to extend Allen now (presumably before August 7). That issue of moving Allen won’t really be ripe until Mobley has a breakout year on the offensive end. By the time that happens (particularly if its not this year), it’s hard to see this extension being a negative. Allen’s 40/8/8 increase seems steep for a guy already paid 20 mm, but in 3 years the 28 mm could easily be about the same % of the cap as 20 mm is for the coming year.
Great move their big 4 is locked in for the next 3-5 years