The Toronto Raptors have proven they are a playoff-caliber team. Now their front office has to build on this season's momentum.
Scottie Barnes is the team's unquestionable star. He is surrounded by quality players in the starting lineup, as Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and Brandon Ingram have all proven to be legitimate pieces on this team.
The Raptors' biggest question mark comes from the fifth member of their starting lineup: Jakob Poeltl. The 30-year-old center is coming off an injury-plagued season in which several of his averages dipped compared to recent years.
In the playoffs, he was further exposed. He averaged only 19.1 minutes per game. In those minutes, Cleveland’s big-man rotation of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen looked far more skilled and athletic than Poeltl. If the Raptors are searching for a Poeltl upgrade, they may not have to look any further than the team that just exposed him.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are the most expensive roster in the league. They were also brutally swept in the Eastern Conference Finals. If Cleveland’s front office decides it does not want to keep paying this much money for a core that continually falls short in the playoffs, then it may decide to shake up the roster. If that happens, Toronto needs to inquire about Jarrett Allen.
Jarrett Allen would address Toronto’s biggest weakness
Allen is an in-his-prime center who would address a lot of Toronto’s weaknesses. The Raptors ranked 24th in rebounds per game, and Poeltl’s lack of athleticism was consistently exposed on both ends of the floor. Allen is a long, athletic center who has averaged 9.9 rebounds per game over the last five seasons.
Neither Allen nor Poeltl spaces the floor, so Toronto would not be sacrificing shooting in a potential trade. Allen is also three years younger than Poeltl and fits Scottie Barnes’ timeline much better.
The Raptors cannot afford to overpay
The all-important question is: how much would it cost to trade for Allen? If Cleveland is looking to decrease its salary, then a third team would likely have to be involved to absorb whatever contract Toronto gives up. That may make the deal more expensive.
For example, if Brooklyn helped facilitate this trade by taking on Poeltl’s contract, then Toronto would have to pay draft capital to Cleveland to acquire Allen, and also to Brooklyn for absorbing Poeltl's contract. That could mean multiple first-round picks for Allen.
Allen would be a big-time upgrade, but he is still an offensively limited center who does not space the floor. The Raptors cannot afford to empty the asset chest for a top-tier role player.
Still, if the price is reasonable, this is exactly the type of move Toronto should be exploring. Allen would give the Raptors a younger, more athletic, and more defensively versatile center who better aligns with Barnes’ timeline. If an opportunity to trade for Jarrett Allen presents itself, Toronto should be ready to jump on it.
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