It remains to be seen what the Charlotte Hornets intend to do with Mark Williams. Trading him in the summer seemed inevitable at one point, but finding a replacement with a similar or better skill set might be problematic. Interestingly, a possible trade candidate could be available: Jarrett Allen of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Cavs were supposed to reach at least the East Finals after finishing the regular season with a conference-leading 64-18 record. However, they got manhandled by the Indiana Pacers in the conference semifinals, logging just one win in the series.
Consequently, Cleveland must be thinking right now about shaking the roster up. As it turned out, having two pairs of pretty similar players as the foundation of the squad proved ineffective for the Cavs. Skeptics were concerned about how well undersized elite scoring guards Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland and a twin-tower combination of Allen and Evan Mobley would work out. Based on how far the team went this year and last year's postseason, the pessimists were right all along.
Hornets should consider swooping in if Allen becomes available
Maybe the Cavs would still be comfortable holding onto Mitchell and Garland, as the All-Star duo has shown the ability to coexist. Perimeter defense would continue to be an issue, but the front office can address that by bringing in more reliable wing defenders.
Cleveland might need to reevaluate the frontcourt tandem of Allen and Mobley this summer, though. As great as they may have demonstrated to be during the regular season, opponents have exposed them in the playoffs for two straight years. Moreover, some folks around the league believe Mobley will only be able to unlock his true potential, particularly on offense, without the 27-year-old big man clogging up the paint.
So, if the Cavs do shop him this offseason and the Hornets don't see Williams in their future, perhaps an Allen-to-Charlotte deal might work out well for both teams.
An argument against it is that Williams arguably has better upside than Allen. However, the 2022 All-Star hasn't had to grapple with injury problems in the same way that the 23-year-old rising star has had to in his first three seasons in the Association. Besides, the veteran is a more potent rim protector and doesn't need the ball in his hands that much in order to get buckets.
A downside about the proposition is that it might be costly for the Hornets to target Allen. The center still has three years and $90.7 million left on his contract, which could limit their financial flexibility in the following seasons. Acquiring the University of Texas product would also necessitate Charlotte to give up Miles Bridges, as the Cavs appear to need a forward, and his salary would be needed to make the finances match.
Of course, there's also the problem of looking for a new home for Williams, and it's unclear if suitors would be lining up to acquire the talented yet injury-prone big man if the Hornets put him on the trading block.
So, targeting Allen would require a huge commitment from Charlotte, but the fit is just too tough to deny.