Jarrett Allen to the Lakers? 3 Places the Cavs Could Trade Their Big Man

The Cleveland Cavaliers need to make a change, and it’s not going to be their head coach, Kenny Atkinson, so who will it be?

Would they be bold enough to trade their ace player, Donovan Mitchell?

Could they try to swing even bigger by moving their most promising young piece of the core in Evan Mobley?

Most likely, though, if the Cavs core is shaken this offseason, it’ll be the other big man on the team next to Mobley, Jarrett Allen, who at 28 is who he will be in the NBA: a great third or fourth option on a contending team, but never a main character.

If Cleveland does trade Allen in the offseason, which teams could be on the phone already trying to swing a deal for him?

Here are my top three landing spots.

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Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers need a big man to play alongside Luka Doncic, and their timelines would align pretty well over the next few years as Los Angeles tries to contend for a title with their Slovenian superstar. He would be an actual presence around the rim that the team hasn’t had since they dealt Anthony Davis, and he’d work perfectly in pick-and-rolls with Doncic.

Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets have something cooking in North Carolina, and they might take that necessary step up to an actual threat in the Eastern Conference if they could get Allen onto the team alongside Kon Knueppel, LaMelo Ball, and Brandon Miller. The Hornets need a player with actual playoff experience, and although he hasn’t reached the mountaintop, Allen could be a strong presence on an immature team that needs a leader around the rim.

Chicago Bulls

It just feels like a Bulls move, doesn’t it? They need to try to do something after floundering in play-in tournament purgatory. If they could use the No. 4 pick to get someone like a Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson to pair with Allen in the frontcourt, things start to get really interesting for a Bulls team that would finally have an identity.

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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 4:15 AM.