The Cavaliers’ path to adding both LeBron James and James Harden may come down to one movable contract, and Dennis Schroder has suddenly become the name to watch.
Cleveland is already operating in a tight financial lane. The team is below both aprons for now, but that’s before re-signing Harden or finishing the rest of the roster. So when a Schroder trade possibility surfaced, it immediately stood out as a possible release valve for a front office trying to keep its books from getting squeezed.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the Charlotte Hornets have interest in Schroder. Charlotte has its midlevel exception available, along with a $41 million trade exception from the LaMelo Ball deal, which means the Hornets could absorb Schroder’s salary without sending anything back. For Cleveland, that would wipe about $14.8 million off the payroll.
That kind of move would matter. It would give the Cavaliers a much cleaner runway to fit in Harden and James without blowing past the first and second aprons and putting themselves in a brutal cap situation.
Right now, Cleveland sits about $25.3 million below the first apron and just under $38 million under the second apron. Bringing in both Harden and James would almost certainly push the team over both thresholds.
And that’s where the danger starts. The second apron has become the line teams are desperate to avoid, and recent years have shown why.
The Boston Celtics spent last summer cutting salary, then traded Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis while letting Al Horford and Luke Kornet leave in free agency to stay out of that zone. This summer, they traded Jaylen Brown to avoid future problems.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have felt it too. They moved Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins and, most recently, Lu Dort this summer in an effort to get below the second-apron line.
If the Cavaliers want to sign Harden and James, they may be looking at the same kind of pressure. Moving Schroder would not be a small basketball decision - he’s a solid role player - but it could be the cleanest way to create the flexibility Cleveland needs.
Charlotte’s interest makes the fit especially useful, since the Hornets could take him without forcing the Cavaliers to take money back. That would give Cleveland real breathing room and, in theory, a path to add both stars without crossing into the second apron.
For the Cavaliers, that may be the goal.
In Other News...
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Kuminga has emerged as a particularly intriguing fit for Cleveland, while Hezonja is trying to work his way back into the league after spending time overseas. The Cavs are still sorting through their options, and the next move may say as much about their long-term direction as it does about the immediate roster around James Harden. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers May Have Found A Depth Upgrade Without Burning More Assets
The Cavaliers are still working the margins of their roster as they chase a bigger swing this offseason, and Dennis Schrder has quickly emerged as one of the more logical pieces to monitor. Cleveland just brought him in, but his contract and the teams financial picture make him the kind of player who could be moved if the front office sees a cleaner path to balance depth, flexibility and the larger goal of positioning itself for a reunion with LeBron James.
One speculative framework making the rounds would send Schrder and a future second-round pick into a broader three-team arrangement, the sort of deal that lets Cleveland tweak the back end of the roster without parting with a more significant asset. Nothing is locked in, of course, but the fact that Schrder is already being discussed as a trade chip says plenty about how aggressively the Cavaliers are trying to squeeze value out of every roster spot while keeping their bigger plans intact. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Cannot Afford To Miss On Their Next Frontcourt Move
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P.J. Washington has emerged as one name worth watching, and the appeal is obvious for a team looking for more balance up front. He can slide between the three and four, which gives Cleveland some lineup flexibility, and his fit alongside Mobley and Allen makes him the kind of player the front office cannot afford to miss on if the opportunity opens up through Dallas' changing roster picture. [Read more 🡒]