Report: Cavaliers Plan to Offer Jarrett Allen 5-Year, $100 Million Deal

The Toronto Raptors' center options may be dwindling as the Cleveland Cavaliers are expected to re-sign Jarrett Allen to a massive contract

Aaron Rose | Aug 2, 2021

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Raptors might have to move to their backup plan to fill their frontcourt holes this summer.

The organization was reportedly among the teams interested in signing restricted free agent Jarrett Allen this summer, but the Cleveland Cavaliers are expected to offer the 23-year-old a five-year, $100 million contract when free agency opens, according to Substack's Marc Stein.

The Cavaliers are preparing an offer in the five-year, $100 million range to center Jarrett Allen, league sources say. Strong signals that Cleveland will re-sign the RFA Allen to pair him with Evan Mobley.

Two hours to go before free agency. More from me: https://t.co/A6ycVm5PUQ
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 2, 2021

Allen is considered the top center available in this year's free agency class but it was always going to be difficult for Toronto to lure him away from Cleveland. The Cavaliers hold can match any offer the Raptors make to Allen, meaning Toronto would have to blow Allen away to keep him from re-signing in Cleveland.

If Allen does sign in Cleveland as expected, Toronto has a few other center options including Nerlens Noel and Richaun Holmes. While neither center is going to thrust Toronto into championship contention, they're both viable big men who could help the Raptors in the short term.

Alternatively, Toronto may decide to play small ball with OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes, and potentially Precious Ahiuwa, a 6-foot-8 big who is expected to be dealt from the Miami Heat in a Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade. That would give the Raptors four between 6-foot-7 and 6-foot-9 that can switch between guards and bigs with relative ease.

Teams are allowed to begin negotiating with free agents at 6 p.m. ET on Monday.

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