Cleveland's $209.0 million payroll sits $8.6 million above the $200.4 million luxury tax line and lines up exactly with the $209.0 million first apron, with Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell each drawing $50.1 million. The draft cupboard is thin too, with three straight first-round picks tied up in swaps and second-round picks owed to three different teams through 2029.
How far over the tax line is Cleveland actually sitting?
The payroll is $209.0 million, which is $8.6 million above the $200.4 million luxury tax line. That number also lines up exactly with the $209.0 million first apron, the next threshold up. The only number left above that is the $221.7 million second apron, which the roster hasn't reached yet.
Whose contracts are actually eating up all that room?
Five deals do most of the work. Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell each make $50.1 million, James Harden is at $30.6 million, Jarrett Allen is at $28.0 million, and Peyton Watson is at $20.5 million. Everyone else on the 16-man payroll is making $9.2 million or less.
What happens to the payroll in 2027-28?
Mobley's number rises to $53.8 million and Harden's to $32.2 million, while Mitchell holds a $60.9 million player option he can simply decline. Hezonja, Thomas Bryant, Nae'Qwan Tomlin, Craig Porter Jr. and Ricky Rubio all disappear from next year's sheet, the only real relief Cleveland is getting.
What does the draft capital actually look like?
Not great. The 2027, 2028 and 2029 first-round picks are all tied up in swaps, and the seconds those same years are owed to Chicago, Utah and Atlanta. The 2030 first-rounder is the only pick Cleveland owns outright, and even that year's second goes to San Antonio.
Is there any real flexibility here?
Barely. The team is already above the luxury tax line, and the $221.7 million second apron is the only number left above the $209.0 million it's already carrying. Add the thin draft capital, and there isn't much Brandon Weems can do to reshape this roster without moving a core piece first.
What is the Cavaliers' payroll for 2026-27?
It's $209.0 million, which is above the $200.4 million luxury tax line and right at the $209.0 million first apron.
Which Cavaliers player has the biggest contract?
Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell are tied at $50.1 million each for 2026-27.
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