Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers' extension of Jarrett Allen doesn't necessarily mean he'll be with the team long term.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported Allen was "essentially obligated" to sign his three-year, $91 million contract extension by Aug. 6 so the Cavaliers could still potentially trade him before the 2024-25 deadline. Allen will be eligible to be traded Feb. 2, 2025, exactly six months after signing his new deal.

Rival teams have long viewed the duo of Allen and Evan Mobley as an awkward fit over the long term. Mobley is a more natural center in the modern game, and Allen can only play center given his size and lack of ability to stretch the floor.

Allen's current deal will pay him just $20 million per season for each of the next two years. It's a deal that is well below market value, and even Allen's extension will come in at around 16 percent of the salary cap from 2026-27 to 2028-29. The contract takes Allen through his 30th birthday and through the likely end of his prime given the way players with his skill profile typically age.

The Cavaliers have been steadfast in keeping their core together despite some critics believing they'd be better off making trades for fit. Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell both play best with the ball in their hand, and Garland has spent the last two seasons regressing from All-Star status playing next to Mitchell.

When Mitchell signed his own extension in Cleveland this offseason, there was some thought that Garland could look for an out. Garland quickly shut down those rumors, and the Cavs' front office seems determined to play things out for at least one more season.

"I don't want to be traded," Garland told Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. "Those are just rumors."

Still, if the Cavs struggle to get out of the gate in 2024-25, don't be surprised if the rumor mill kicks in again.

The Cleveland Cavaliers decided to keep one of the best backline defenders in the NBA in their frontcourt for the foreseeable future.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Cavs signed center Jarrett Allen to a new three-year, $91 million contract extension on Wednesday.

Allen had two years remaining on the five-year, $100 million deal he signed with the team in 2021, and he was set to make $20 million in 2024-25. Wednesday's deal now means he'll be guaranteed $131 million over the next five years, per Wojnarowski.

The Cavaliers had a $191.3 million salary cap entering the 2024-25 season before Allen's extension, per Spotrac.

Allen had been one of the most coveted players on the trade market this season, but Cleveland didn't move him. NBA insider Marc Stein reported on May 19 that "numerous" rival teams remained interested in acquiring him "despite the whispers of frustration circulating in Cleveland surrounding Allen's apparent reluctance to take a pain-killing injection to address a rib injury that sidelined him for the Cavaliers' final eight playoff games."

In the end, Cleveland decided he was too valuable to deal away in a trade.

An All-Star in 2022, Allen had a slow start to the 2023-24 season before eventually finding his footing. Through 77 games, he averaged a career-high 16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. He shot 63.4 percent from the field and maintained his status as a reliable rim protector.

Unfortunately, Allen suffered a rib injury in the playoffs that forced him to miss the entire Eastern Conference Semifinals, where the Cavs lost to the Boston Celtics in five games. He had a strong start to the postseason with averages of 17.0 points and 13.8 rebounds in four first-round games against the Orlando Magic.

Allen helped the Cavs finish seventh in the NBA in scoring defense this season, holding opponents to 110.2 points per game. He will continue to be the anchor on a team that has the pieces to be a top contender in the East.

Retaining Allen is a step in the right direction for Cleveland as it gears up for another run to the playoffs next season.

The Brooklyn Nets are reportedly interested in adding a role player before the end of free agency.

Per Hoops Hype's Michael Scotto, the Nets are eyeing a potential sign-and-trade for Cleveland Cavaliers small forward Isaac Okoro. Scotto also noted that the Cavs have been intrigued by Dorian Finney-Smith and Cam Johnson.

According to Scotto, Brooklyn is among the teams interested in Okoro, so the restricted free agent could have more buzz surrounding him in the coming weeks.

Okoro, the No. 5 pick in the 2020 NBA draft, has been a solid role player in his four NBA seasons. He's averaged 8.5 points on 46.7 percent from the field and 34.7 from deep in his career, but upped those numbers to 9.4 points on 49 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from three last season.

As one of the best remaining free agents on the market, Okoro will likely have teams bidding to take him from Cleveland. If he chooses, he can sign a one-year, $11.83 million qualifying offer that would make him a free agent next offseason.

Okoro has also reportedly received an offer between the $8 to $10 million range annually from the Cavs. The benefit of taking that deal with Cleveland versus the qualifying offer is that he'll have more financial security, but if he believes he can make more money next year, the one-year deal might be the route he decides to go.

While the Cavaliers could likely get a solid return for Okoro in a sign-and-trade with the Nets, it could be worth keeping him around after Cleveland's current group found some success last season.

The Cavs went 48-34 last season, beating the Orlando Magic in the first round before losing to the Boston Celtics in the second round of the playoffs. They will return a similar roster this season and look for success under new head coach Kenny Atkinson.

Evan Mobley's recent rookie-scale maximum contract extension features a 15 percent trade kicker, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.

Per Scotto, the deal is also fully guaranteed and does not include a player option or a team option.

Mobley agreed to a five-year, $224 million contract with the Cavaliers on Saturday (via ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski). The deal could eventually be worth as much as $269 million due to incentives and bonuses.

Mobley's trade kicker will bolster the big man's earnings in a big way should he get moved at any point after the new contract kicks in.

Despite Cleveland's second-round playoff exit, the front office didn't take any drastic action to shake up the roster this offseason.

Cleveland lost to the Boston Celtics in five games, though the series initially appeared to be much closer. The Celtics held a 2-1 series lead heading into Game 4, although Donovan Mitchell was unable to participate due to a calf strain. Jarrett Allen was also unable to suit up in the second round due to a rib contusion.

With the shorthanded Cavaliers putting up a fight against the eventual champions, team president Koby Altman likely wants to see how his squad looks with his full core on the floor in the postseason before potentially making any seismic moves.

Mobley has established himself as one of the league's top defenders since he was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, finishing third in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2023. He also averaged 15.7 points and 9.4 rebounds per game on 58.0/37.3/71.9 shooting splits during his 2023-24 campaign.

As the Cavaliers attempt to go on a deeper postseason run under new head coach Kenny Atkinson, Mobley will look to anchor the team's defense once again with his long-term future with the organization secured.

The Cleveland Cavaliers appear intent on at least starting the 2024-25 season with Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland as their starting backcourt.

Per Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer, the San Antonio Spurs were a team that called Cleveland about Garland earlier this offseason. The Cavs "rebuffed any inbound trade interest" in the 24-year-old.

Garland is entering his sixth season with the Cavs. He averaged 18.0 points, 6.5 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game in 2023-24.

An All-Star in 2022, Garland has taken a backseat the last two seasons playing with Mitchell. Garland and Mitchell have never been a perfect basketball fit—nor were centers Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley—but that was under former head coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

"They want me to (shoot more), so that's why they be patting me on my chest and trying to hype me up to shoot more shots," Garland, a natural ball distributor, told reporters during the playoffs. "That's the thing — they think I'm not as aggressive right now."

There were reports of Garland being unhappy with his role since Mitchell came to Cleveland. The Athletic noted Garland's agent, Rich Paul, was expected to meet with Cavs management if the team signed Mitchell to a long-term deal.

Mitchell wound up signing a three-year, $150.3 million extension in July. Mobley signed a five-year max extension on Monday. Jarrett Allen still has two years and $40 million remaining on his current deal.

Garland has four years remaining on the five-year, $197 million extension he signed in 2022. Cleveland is committed to this roster based on the contracts for Garland, Mitchell and Mobley, but things could change as the season goes along and new head coach Kenny Atkinson gets a chance to see which on-court pairings work.

The Spurs clearly made point guard a priority this offseason. They signed Chris Paul in free agency to at least stabilize the position if they couldn't find a younger player who could step in as a starter right away.

San Antonio spent much of last season using Jeremy Sochan out of position at point guard before abandoning that experiment.

Garland would have helped to provide steadiness while easing the burden on star Victor Wembanyama.

Instead, the Cavs will roll with Mitchell and Garland for now as they look to improve on last season's second-round playoff loss to the Boston Celtics.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Evan Mobley have agreed to a five-year, $224 million maximum rookie contract extension, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Saturday.

The deal could be worth up to $269 million if Mobley makes the All-NBA team in 2024-25, per Wojnarowski and CapSheets' Yossi Gozlan.

Mobley is set to play 2024-25 on a $11.2 million club option. The Cavaliers are currently projected to have $9.7 million in space below the luxury tax next season, per Spotrac.

Mobley's reported $38.7 million salary for 2025-26 will put the Cavaliers above the luxury tax threshold, but Cleveland is projected to remain below the highly restrictive second apron of the tax, Gozlan noted.

According to Spotrac, the Cavaliers are currently projected to have just over $11.7 million in first apron space, and $23.6 million in second apron space, in 2025-26.

The team is also projected to have $7.4 million in luxury tax space that season, per Spotrac.

That projected wiggle room despite the increase in Mobley's annual salary is due in part to the projected rise of the NBA salary cap, as noted by ESPN's Bobby Marks.

Mobley's extension locks in the Cavaliers' star trio through at least 2028.

Darius Garland is heading into the second season of the five-year, $197 million deal he inked with the Cavaliers in 2022, while Donovan Mitchell signed a three-year, $150 million extension to keep him in Cleveland through 2029 earlier this month.

Those price tags will look less restrictive for the Cavaliers' cap situation in upcoming seasons. The cap is expected to increase by 10 percent per year, the maximum allowed under the current CBA, amid increasing media revenue.

That will allow the Cavaliers room to continue building the roster despite committing more than $38 million each member of the team's star trio.

The Cavaliers led the NBA in luxury tax payments between 2015 and 2017, paying out an NBA-high $54 million following their 2015 championship season, per Spotrac. The team has not crossed the luxury tax threshold since their most recent trip to the NBA Finals in 2018.

That could be set to change in 2025-26 if the Cavs pay to build a championship-caliber roster around their star trio. The cost will be worth it, especially if the Cavaliers are able to stay avoid the trade, draft and free agency restrictions mandated by the second apron, if Mobley, Garland and Mitchell can lead Cleveland on another deep playoff run for the first time since the LeBron James era.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley was set to enter the final year of his contract in 2024-25, but he will be staying put well beyond that.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski Mobley has agreed to a new five-year rookie maximum contract extension worth up to $269 million. He was set to make $11.2 million in 2024-25 after the Cavs exercised the team option on his rookie deal.

The No. 3 pick in the 2021 draft, Mobley has been solid but unspectacular through his first three years in the NBA. He earned a spot on the 2023 All-Defensive Team with averages of 16.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 blocks. However, he posted similar numbers this past season, leading some to believe that he may have already reached his ceiling.

Through 50 games in 2023-24, Mobley averaged 15.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 blocks. He missed extended time after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery midway through the year.

The Cavs are one of just a handful of teams to deploy two-big lineups, as Mobley has been paired with center Jarrett Allen in Cleveland's frontcourt throughout his career. The two of them helped the team rank seventh in scoring defense by holding opponents to 110.2 points per game.

Allen has two years remaining on his contract, though he has been rumored to be a trade candidate in recent months. The Cavs also fired head coach JB Bickerstaff and hired Kenny Atkinson as his replacement, so they are hoping he will be able to help Mobley and the rest of the team reach a new level.

At just 23 years old, Mobley still has the potential to develop into a more productive player. By locking him up for the next several years, Cleveland is banking on the belief that he will continue to grow and eventually become a superstar big man.

Darius Garland is shutting down all trade rumors once and for all.

"I don't want to be traded," the Cleveland Cavaliers guard told Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. "Those are just rumors."

There had been long-simmering rumors Garland could seek an exit this summer amid fit issues with Donovan Mitchell. The Cavs signed Mitchell to a three-year, $150.3 million extension this offseason, meaning Garland would have been the odd man out if there was going to be a split.

Garland pushed back on the notion of any unhappiness with Mitchell signing an extension.

"It's always good to see one of our guys get the money they deserve and know he's going to be back with us for a while," Garland said. "I was excited. I was excited for him."

An All-Star in 2022, Garland has taken a backseat offensively since the Cavs acquired Mitchell. He averaged 18.0 points, 6.5 assists and 2.7 rebound last season while shooting 44.6 percent from the floor, his worst mark since his rookie season. There is little question that Garland is more comfortable playing the lead guard role, but there is equally little question over who is the better player.

Mitchell is the superstar. He gets the first right of refusal on the ball. Garland is merely a star and one whose shine has dimmed over the last 24 months.

Even if Garland were to request a trade, it's fair to wonder how much the Cavs could get in return. Garland is due $163.2 million over the next four years and hasn't played up to max-player status. It's unlikely the Cavs would land a player of Garland's caliber in any trade, even if they wound up getting a better fit.

Cleveland seems determined to run things back with few changes to last season's roster. The biggest change made this offseason was the firing of coach J.B. Bickerstaff in favor of Kenny Atkinson. A coach change is not suddenly going to fix the obvious fit issues on the Cavs' roster, but Atkinson said he's excited to work with Garland to aid in his development.

"I can't wait to work with them," Atkinson said. "I was a point guard and that's the quarterback. Those guys are running the show and it's such a huge position in this league. I identity with them. Huge fan of Darius. Always been a fan. Underrated. Underrated passer. I don't think he gets enough credit for the feel. Then, Donovan we all know, he's the real deal. The great ones have a different type of work ethic. He's wired a little bit differently."

Perhaps Atkinson's developmental acumen will unlock part of Garland's game that makes him a better fit with Mitchell. Maybe not. Either way, trade talks will likely be revisited next summer if the Cavs don't make an improvement.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Evan Mobley haven't reached a contract extension yet, but a deal is reportedly expected "somewhat soon."

ESPN's Brian Windhorst said he believes the Cavs are willing to offer Mobley his five-year maximum on his next contract.

"I know that the two sides have talked. It's not like it's a giant impasse, I don't believe. I would expect the contract to be done somewhat soon," Windhorst noted on ESPN Cleveland (30-second mark). "I think the Cavs are willing to give him the max, and quite frankly, they don't have a leg to stand on now that the guys around him in their draft class with comparable statistics and comparable futures have gotten the max."

The Designated Player Extension would make Mobley eligible to earn up to $270 million if he makes an All-NBA team or wins Defensive Player of the Year or MVP next season. Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner, Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes and Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham all signed max extensions this offseason.

Should Mobley not qualify for Designated Player status, he would make an estimated $224 million over his five-year deal.

Mobley averaged 15.7 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game last season. While he has plateaued a bit from his stellar rookie season, that's partially a byproduct of Mobley playing next to another natural center in Jarrett Allen. Mobley and Allen are an imperfect basketball fit in the modern NBA, and they both would arguably benefit from a separation individually.

The Cavs' acquisition of Donovan Mitchell also limited the amount Mobley could hone his game by being more aggressive offensively. After averaging 12.0 shots per game his first two seasons, Mobley was down to a career-low 11.1 in 2023-24.

Despite the general plateau in counting stats, Mobley remains a skilled 23-year-old big with rim protection skills and efficient numbers across the board. The Cavs don't have much of a recourse to offer him anything besides his full max and hope he develops into an All-Star.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen has been the subject of trade rumors, but some teams believe the arrival of new Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson, who coached Allen when the two were together on the Brooklyn Nets, decreases the chance of a move.

"The arrival of Kenny Atkinson as Cleveland's new coach has convinced various teams that Jarrett Allen has just become even harder to pry from the Cavaliers via trade than he was previously," longtime NBA insider Marc Stein reported. "And it was hard before."

Atkinson coached the Nets for four seasons (2016-2020). Allen came aboard prior to Atkinson's second year (2017-18) after the Nets selected him 22nd overall in the 2017 draft.

Allen, who has played seven NBA seasons, averaged 16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 blocks per game last year. Thanks in part to his efforts, the Cleveland Cavaliers reached the second round of the playoffs for the first time without LeBron James since 1993.

Still, there were trade murmurs on Allen, although nothing that appeared too serious.

"I think they'd have to be blown away for them to consider it (moving Garland and Allen) on both fronts," Chris Fedor of cleveland.com said on the HoopsHype podcast on June 12.

"They've gotten offers in the past for Allen specifically. Teams have been poking around on Allen for the last couple of years."

ESPN's Brian Windhorst recently confirmed other teams' interest in Allen but added that a move seemed unlikely with Atkinson in town.

So signs are pointing to Allen, who is on a five-year, $100 million deal that runs through 2025-26, staying in town. That all but means the Cavs should be retaining their core four from last year, which got the biggest piece back when five-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell agreed to a three-year, $150.3 million extension.