The Cleveland Cavaliers entered this season as strong contenders for the championship, boasting the top record in the Eastern Conference. Their promising campaign included a first-round sweep of the Miami Heat, setting up a highly anticipated conference semifinal series against the Indiana Pacers.
While the Cavaliers faced early setbacks, dropping the first two games at home, they rebounded with a critical road win in Game 3, showing signs of momentum under coach Kenny Atkinson. However, the Pacers secured victories in Games 4 and 5, resulting in Cleveland’s exit from the playoffs. This marks another year that the Cavaliers have failed to advance beyond the second playoff round since Donovan Mitchell joined the team in 2022.
Potential Trade Could Reshape Cavaliers’ Core
In response to recent postseason disappointments, analysts including Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report suggest that the Cavaliers may look to overhaul their roster this offseason. The proposed trade would send Jarrett Allen, Jaylon Tyson, and a 2031 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Cameron Johnson, a sharpshooting forward with a lucrative $94 million contract.
Allen, who started his NBA career with Brooklyn before joining Cleveland in 2021, has been a consistent presence, playing all 82 games this season and delivering averages of 13.5 points and 9.7 rebounds. During the recent playoffs, he maintained solid performance numbers against the Heat and Pacers. Still, his $20 million salary for the next season adds to the stakes of the potential deal.
Meanwhile, Johnson, a University of North Carolina product, offers a different skill set. He averaged a career-best 18.8 points per game for the Nets this season, while shooting nearly 39 percent from beyond the arc. His ability as a floor-stretching wing player fits well alongside Cleveland’s promising center, Evan Mobley, especially in five-out offensive schemes.
“Another postseason disappointment, this one coming in the wake of a 64-win regular season, could spur the Cavaliers to reorient the roster around Evan Mobley as the full-time center. That’d mean moving on from Allen, replacing him with a capable frontcourt shooter and scorer in Johnson,”
—Grant Hughes, Analyst
“On a pure talent basis, Allen and Johnson are pretty comparable. The former, two years younger, owns career averages of 12.8 points and 9.2 rebounds. The latter is a career 39.2 percent shooter from deep and just finished up a season marked by a personal-best 18.8 points per game.”
—Grant Hughes, Analyst
“Cleveland gets a floor-stretching combo forward to play next to Mobley in five-out sets, while the Nets get a starting center in his prime who could bring in even more assets in a subsequent deal—all with a recent first-rounder in Tyson and another future pick attached as sweeteners,”
—Grant Hughes, Analyst
Trade Impact Could Influence Next Season’s Championship Outlook
This potential trade reflects Cleveland’s intent to build around Donovan Mitchell with a more versatile supporting cast, addressing the need for improved shooting and spacing on the floor. Cameron Johnson’s combination of scoring and perimeter threat could enhance the Cavaliers’ offensive dynamics, complementing Mobley’s inside presence and Mitchell’s scoring ability.
On the other side, Brooklyn would receive a young, solid center in Jarrett Allen, capable of anchoring their defense and providing rebounding, along with future draft assets. This aligns with the Nets’ ongoing efforts to retool and acquire flexible pieces heading into coming seasons.
As the offseason unfolds, Cleveland faces critical decisions that will likely define their championship aspirations. Securing a sharpshooter like Johnson next to Donovan Mitchell could be the spark needed to push past previous playoff barriers and contend deeper into the postseason.