Cavaliers re-sign Jarrett Allen

    The Cleveland Cavaliers had a few goals in free agency and the trade market in the off-season to try to improve the team to one that could contend for one of the last playoff spots in the Eastern Conference.

I'm not saying I'm buying that, but a similar idea worked for the Atlanta Hawks last season so anything can happen but the chances of it happening improved when the Cavaliers retained restricted free agent center Jarrett Allen with a five-year contract worth one hundred million dollars.

Allen was essentially stolen as the Cavaliers helped Houston and Brooklyn work with the cap enough to make their James Harden deal and received Allen and the recently traded (to Minnesota) Taurean Prince for their help.

Allen's addition made Andre Drummond superfluous and he established himself as a solid foundational player as he averaged thirteen points and ten rebounds (actually 9.9) in 51 games as a Cavalier.

The 6'10 Allen protects the rim, shoots a high percentage ( 60 percent), runs the floor well, and although he doesn't shoot the three as the modern pivot does, Allen is at least smart enough to know what he doesn't do well and not force shots that he cannot make.

The question was raised before free agency began about the Cavaliers signing Allen and after drafting Evan Mobley from USC third overall, was could you put the two on the floor together at the same time.

I think that they can and the Cavaliers must agree.

Allen's skills as a more conventional (old school) center should allow Mobley, who plays the modern big man game to roam the floor as the power forward using his versatile skill set, so the two should mesh well together.

There are no guarantees that happens but there are few guarantees in any game!

Twenty million is far from inexpensive, but considering the forward steps in Allen's game and that he's only twenty-two, this is a market-value contract, and to re-sign with a bad team, it's fair.

The Cavaliers do have a glut of sorts at four and five with some tweeners that aren't true power forwards or centers with Allen, Mobley, Larry Nance Jr, and the fading Kevin Love, who should be bought out of his remaining contract or risk continuing his divisiveness in the locker room.

Combined with younger players at the end of the bench in Dean Wade and Lamar Stevens, it's not difficult to see that there may not be enough playing time to pass around with the roster in its current form.

The Cavaliers have made a decision on the core group of players that will take them back to the playoffs. Darius Garland, Isaac Okoro, Evan Mobley, and now Jarrett Allen will hopefully be part of the next playoff team.

You may have noticed that I didn't include Collin Sexton in the group and there is a reason for that.

I am saving that for an upcoming post.