The Cavaliers did well to draft their center of the future – Evan Mobley – No. 3.
Now, Cleveland will apparently pay big money to incumbent starting center Jarrett Allen, too
Marc Stein:
That’s a ton of money to pay Allen without making him even first get an offer sheet in restricted free agency. But two caveats: Perhaps, the Cavs verified a large offer sheet was coming and both sides agreed to bypass the formal signing-and-matching process, ending up in a similar place without delay.* The contract might include incentives and other unguaranteed elements, making it more team-friendly.
*It’s not the same place. Offer sheets can be for just four seasons.
For now, Allen and Mobley – who needs time to add strength – can play together. But Mobley’s special skill set will probably be maximized long-term at center, not power forward.
The big question for the Cavaliers: Will Allen hold positive trade value on this contract if he and Mobley aren’t an optimal pairing? Again, it’s impossible to say without knowing exact terms. Allen is pretty good. But $100 million is an eye-popping number. Though Allen is just 23, his lob-finishing, rim-protect style carries only moderate untapped upside.
Another big, Kevin Love, is due $60,201,086 over the next two years. Not that Cleveland should give him much consideration in team-building. But it’s a complication.
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Report: Cavaliers to offer RFA Jarrett Allen about $100 million over five years originally appeared on NBCSports.com