Jarrett Allen reportedly receiving long-term interest from one team

If the Cleveland Cavaliers decide to trade center Jarrett Allen this summer, one team sounds like it might act on its long-standing interest.

The New Orleans Pelicans have long coveted Allen, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com. The Pelicans are likely to try to replace veteran center Jonas Valanciunas this offseason, as he is set to be a free agent and the organization would like a better rim protector at the position.

Clark notes that the Pelicans have expressed “significant interest” in Allen in the past, but have never been able to get the Cavaliers to part with him. That could change this offseason, as speculation has suggested the Cavaliers may see what they can get for him.

That may be a consequence of Allen’s playoff injury, which some Cavaliers players suggested he should have tried harder to play through during the playoffs.

The 26-year-old Allen still has two years remaining on a five-year, $100 million contract he signed in 2021. He averaged 16.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game for Cleveland this past season and could certainly fulfill that rim-protector role, though it is unclear just how much the Cavaliers would ask in a trade for him.