The Cavaliers’ offseason math is already pointing toward movement, and the clearest trade chips sit right in the middle of the roster.
With Darius Garland traded and James Harden restructuring for less, Cleveland now has a path to getting under both the first and second apron. Even so, the team is still working with a tight squeeze: about $25 million in room before it reaches the first apron, with only 11 of the 15 required roster spots filled. That leaves very little flexibility to build out the rest of the roster beyond veteran minimum deals.
Because of that, a trade or two for salary relief feels more like a matter of when than if, especially after LeBron has made his decision.
The most obvious contract to move first is Dennis Schroder. His $14.8 million cap hit gives the Cavs a clean place to start if they want to trim salary or bring back a player on a smaller number.
Max Strus is another name that sits squarely in the trade conversation. His $16.6 million cap hit has already been a point of debate in the LeBron discussion, and while moving him may not be absolutely required to make a return work, he still profiles as a real cap casualty candidate if LeBron comes back to Cleveland.
Then there is Jarrett Allen, the biggest contract among the names discussed. Allen may be the anchor of the team, but with Mitchell and Mobley both on max deals, his flat $28 million salary gives the Cavaliers a possible route to retooling around a different version of the roster. If LeBron picks another team, the front office could feel pressure to shake things up anyway, and Allen has long been a player other teams have wanted.
For now, the Cavaliers are mostly stuck waiting. Until LeBron announces his decision, there is only so much they can do, since his return would have a major impact on the salary cap picture. Once that call is made, Cleveland and the rest of the LeBron suitors should move quickly to sort out their offseason plans.
In the meantime, Schroder looks like the likeliest salary-clearing move regardless of what LeBron decides.
In Other News...
Cavs Are Suddenly Linked To A Franchise Defining Frontcourt Gamble
Anthony Davis has barely had a chance to settle into Washington, but the ripple effects of his arrival are already being felt around the league, including in Cleveland. The fit is obvious enough to spark debate: a frontcourt built around Davis would give the Cavaliers a very different kind of ceiling, and the conversation naturally turns to what kind of price tag would come with that sort of swing.
The harder part is figuring out what Cleveland would be willing to give up, because any serious pursuit would almost certainly force the Cavs to confront the value of Evan Mobley in a way that goes well beyond a simple roster tweak. There is also the broader question of whether Davis even gets to the point where this becomes real, since Washington still has to navigate his contract situation and the uncertainty around his early days with the franchise before any of the speculation turns into something more concrete. [Read more 🡒]
Former Lakers Champion Just Floated A Wild New LeBron Theory
Markieff Morris set off a fresh round of NBA chatter this week by floating a speculative chain of moves that would send James Harden to the Phoenix Suns and, in the process, land Jalen Green with the Cavaliers. It was the kind of social media theory that instantly gets attention because it ties together a few of the leagues biggest names, but it remains firmly in the realm of speculation rather than anything official.
For Cleveland, the appeal is obvious even before the details get sorted out. A Green-Donovan Mitchell backcourt would be electric on offense, though it would also come with real questions on the defensive end, and the idea only gets louder because of what Greens arrival could mean for the Cavs larger future plans. For now, though, it is just another reminder that the offseason rumor mill can turn one post into a full-blown conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Love Reunion Could Become A Real Cavaliers Offseason Debate
Kevin Loves name is starting to surface again in Cleveland, and it makes sense why. The veteran big man is an unrestricted free agent after spending last season with the Utah Jazz, and he remains one of the more familiar faces from the Cavaliers 2016 championship run. For a team looking to preserve flexibility while still adding dependable depth, a reunion would bring an obvious layer of experience and a player who already understands the organization and the expectations that come with it.
The Cavaliers are still waiting on LeBron James decision before making bigger roster moves, which keeps the rest of the offseason in a holding pattern. Loves longstanding friendship with James only adds to the intrigue, especially if Cleveland decides it wants another proven voice in the locker room and a veteran option in the frontcourt. For now, it sits as a possibility rather than a plan, but it is the kind of move that could become a real debate once the bigger domino falls. [Read more 🡒]