The Cleveland Cavaliers look to continue going on their upward trajectory after defensive center Jarrett Allen agreed to a three-year, $91 million max contract extension, as reported by Adrian Wojnarowski.
Moreover, this max extension guarantees one of the Eastern Conference’s top big men $131 million over the next five years. With this deal, the Cavaliers hope to continue their winning ways by locking up their player core of Allen, Evan Mobley, and Donovan Mitchell to new contracts. This core, including Darius Garland, has helped the Cavs reach the postseason for two consecutive years.
Jarrett Allen’s deal
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In a post on X, Wojnarowski added that Allen is the third player to have signed massive extensions with the Cavs this offseason.
Previously, the team signed Mitchell to a three-year, $150 million deal, and forward Mobley to a five-year $224 million extension. These deals further solidify the team’s ascension into “long-term Eastern Conference contenders,” Wojnarowski said.
Last season, the Cavs advanced to the second round of the playoffs after beating the Orlando Magic in seven games, where they lost to the eventual champions Boston Celtics.
Likewise, the team hopes to take the next step in their postseason journey by hiring Kenny Atkinson as a new head coach, replacing J.B. Bickerstaff. Atkinson had been the previous coach of the Brooklyn Nets from 2016 to 2020 before working as an assistant for the LA Clippers and the Golden State Warriors, where he won an NBA title in 2022.
Moreover, Allen hopes to continue his development as a reliable frontcourt anchor both on offense and defense after his All-Star season in 2022. Last season, he posted averages of 16.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 77 games. However, a broken rib took him out of action in the latter half of the Magic series and the entirety of the Celtics series.
Cavaliers fans react
Various fans responded with excitement to Woj’s announcement. One poster praised the deal by saying, “Let’s f**king go!” Meanwhile, another commenter replied, “Wow, great deal.”
Another poster even compared Jarrett Allen’s new contract extension with Minnesota Timberwolves center and 2024 Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert’s own contract.
“Good deal considering Gobert makes almost 50 mil a year,” the poster said. The chorus of positive replies continues with more people praising Allen staying with the Cavs, with one account calling it a “steal,” a “huge steal,” a “pretty good deal,” and “well-deserved.”
Finally, another poster cited Allen’s contributions to the team. “Solid signing! Jarrett is a difference maker! Great player,” he said.
The team’s record reflects Allen’s role. With him, the Cavaliers have a record of 90-55 in the past two seasons. However, without him, they are only 9-10.
