3) Hawks, Cavs help each other build around small backcourts
The Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers are both built around unconventional backcourts that have faced scrutiny and trade speculation over the last year. Cleveland’s postseason run shows that such a pairing can work though their iteration could use tweaking too.
Whereas the Hawks suddenly have several potential options at small forward, the Cavs are two-deep in bigs that might benefit from being split up.
They are not giving up Evan Mobley. But Jarrett Allen has been mentioned as a possibility.
This deal is the cleanest and offers the Hawks a massive upgrade in rim protection. Allen is entering Year 4 of a five-year, $100 million contract and would shave $1.6 million from the Hawks’ bottom line while getting them one year closer to possibly accessing that cap space.
Allen averaged 16.5 points, 10.5 boards, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks last season.
The Cavaliers would get a player who has proven what he can do and simply needs to showcase it consistently. That could happen with a change of scenery.
There are durability concerns about Allen as there are with Hunter. The former made 77 appearances this past season, the second most of his career. But he made (in reverse order) 68, 56, and 63 appearances in the three seasons before that.
He also eschewed a shot to help him play through a thumb injury in the playoffs.
Still, he would step up the Hawks’ backline defense and is still just 26 years old, putting him in play for whatever timeline they pursue this offseason.