The Golden State Warriors have lacked size this season. They opted against adding Dwight Howard during the preseason and often found themselves utilizing undersized bigs in the middle of the floor. Adding height around the rim will likely be a focus for the front office in the coming months.
According to Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, the Warriors could have some success by opening talks with the Cleveland Cavaliers about a potential trade for Jarrett Allen. The athletic rim-runner is impressing for the Cavaliers in the opening round of the Eastern Conference playoffs and has proven a dominant rebounder and lob threat.
The proposed trade looks like this:
Warriors get: Jarrett Allen
Cavaliers get: Andrew Wiggins, Trayce Jackson-Davis, future draft stock
“He could be the anchor who gets the defense back on track and the automatic lob finisher who ups the potency of this attack,” Buckley wrote. “To flesh out the deal, the Warriors could also add Georges Niang, whose three-point shooting and quick processing skills should make him a snug schematic fit.”
Allen would give the Warriors an athletic rim-runner who could thrive in a fast-paced offense alongside Jonathan Kuminga in the front court. Draymond Green would be the glue that held everything together and marshaled the defense.
Steph Curry’s genius and exceptional shooting ability would ensure Allen had enough space when rolling to the basket. Nevertheless, the Cavaliers are unlikely to part with Allen in the summer. He has become a core part of the team’s rotation. Still, he is the prototypical player Golden State should be looking for if they bid to bring in additional size in the summer.