The Cleveland Cavaliers are ranked among the five NBA teams with the worst salary-cap situations.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are ranked among the five NBA teams with the worst salary-cap situations by Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report.
Cleveland is at No. 5, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers (4), LA Clippers (3), Orlando Magic (2) and Denver Nuggets (1).
The Cavaliers have an expensive roster. Their starting lineup -- James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Peyton Watson, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen -- is very pricey.
"The Cleveland Cavaliers will pay Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley a combined $133 million in 2029-30," Pincus wrote. "The franchise is committed to its roster, with James Harden, Jarrett Allen, and Peyton Watson. Depth is marginal; Cleveland is just under its first apron hard cap, and flexibility won't open for several years.
"Still, the Cavaliers were the second-best team in the East last year, falling to the Knicks in the Conference Finals. They're good enough to boast fifth on the list, but don't get it twisted; the margins are razor-thin. Cleveland sent out most of its draft capital to build this roster. With its 2033 first-round pick frozen for climbing over last year's second apron, the Cavaliers can offer swaps in 2028 (the lower of an already swapped pick), 2030, and 2032. The only second-rounder available is in 2033. If the team falls short, its path to improvement may come only through trading away its top-five players."
Cleveland defeated Toronto and Detroit to reach the Eastern Conference Finals last season for the first time since 1992 without LeBron James on the roster.
The New York Knicks, who won the 2026 championship against the San Antonio Spurs, swept the Cavaliers in the conference finals.
Can a core of Harden, Mitchell, Watson, Mobley and Allen win a championship? We'll find out soon.
If the Cavaliers falter in the 2027 playoffs, don't be surprised if Mitchell, Harden and Allen are not on the team in 2027-28.
Mitchell signed a four-year, $273 million maximum contract extension this offseason. The All-Star shooting guard is averaging 26.7 points per game in the regular season and 27.3 points per game in the playoffs in a Cleveland uniform. Those are great numbers.
However, ESPN's Ben Golliver believes Mitchell's extension "deserves more scrutiny."
"But the size of Mitchell's new contract probably deserves more scrutiny than it has received," Golliver wrote. "The seven-time All-Star is set to earn more than $60 million in 2027-28. By comparison, Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, a more accomplished player, will earn $40.5 million.
"Mitchell is currently on pace to be a top-10 earner once his new extension kicks in, but his deal will run through his age-34 season. Shouldn't his $75.5 million player option for the 2030-31 season make the Cavaliers a little squeamish? If Mitchell were a better defender or an elite playmaker for his teammates, these numbers might be easier to stomach. As it stands, Cleveland's decision to pay him top dollar feels a bit ominous."
