The Cavaliers didn’t just clean up their books this offseason. They pulled off a financial escape act.
Back in January, Cleveland was staring at a $392 million payroll, a $228 million salary number and a massive $164 million luxury tax bill. That made the Cavs the most expensive team in the NBA, stuck deep in the second apron and boxed in by the kind of constraints that leave a front office with very little room to maneuver.
Now the picture looks completely different. By August, the Cavs were down to $218 million total, $209 million in salary and only $9 million in luxury tax. In the process, they kept future Hall of Famer James Harden and added a legitimate defensive wing in Peyton Watson.
On the latest episode of the Wine and Gold Talk podcast, cleveland.com Cavs beat reporter Chris Fedor gave the organization a B for the offseason.
“I think it’s hard to say that all of a sudden these moves make it an A off season, but I think it’s a solid B for what they accomplished this off season,” Fedor said.
That grade reflects the bigger tension around Cleveland’s summer. The Cavs did the hard part: they solved the cap mess and came out with a more workable roster.
But they also passed on chances to chase a true star. Giannis Antetokounmpo was available.
LeBron James was a target. Jaylen Brown was in play in different scenarios.
None of them landed in Cleveland, and Watson is a very different kind of addition than any of those names.
That’s why the conversation now shifts from finances to positioning. Fedor sees New York and Philly ahead of Cleveland in the East.
“I do still think New York and Philly is in front of them,” Fedor said. “I think New York’s on a tier of itself.
I think Philly is in tier two by itself and then I think tier three is a big time mess. But I think the Cavs are more toward the top of tier 3 than the bottom of tier 3, which is different than a conversation that we were having about a month ago.”
That last part matters. A month ago, there were real worries that teams like the Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors could move ahead of the Cavs.
The Harden signing and Watson pickup helped stop that from happening. Cleveland didn’t necessarily surge into a new class, but it did protect its place.
And if there’s a route upward, it’s pretty clear what it requires. Evan Mobley has to keep growing into a true two-way star.
Harden needs to look more settled in year two of the system after arriving in the middle of last season. Watson’s defensive tools have to turn into real impact minutes.
Even with those questions hanging over the roster, the front office deserves credit for the way it handled the offseason. Around the league, executives are reportedly taking notes on how Cleveland got out from under the second apron without tearing apart a roster built to win now.
That kind of maneuvering bought the Cavaliers time, flexibility and a real shot to stay in the mix. Whether that eventually becomes something bigger will wait for February and May. For now, Cleveland is in a better place than it was, and it earned that position the hard way.
In Other News...
Cavs Are Closing In On A Move That Changes Daily Life
The Cavaliers are getting ready for a change that goes well beyond a new address. During the NBA All-Star break in February, the team plans to move into the Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center downtown, a facility that should give players and staff a far different day-to-day experience than the one theyve had in Independence.
The new building is expected to be significantly larger than the current practice site and come with multiple amenities designed around the needs of a modern NBA operation. Once the Cavs relocate, the Independence facility will take on a new role of its own, serving as the training home for the Cleveland Sirens, the WNBA expansion team set to begin play in 2028. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Latest Roster Upgrade Came From A Twist Fans Didnt Expect
The Cavaliers latest roster shake-up took shape through a chain of events that had less to do with Cleveland than with the wider league market, and it gave the front office a little more room to operate than expected. In the process, the team moved on from Dennis Schroder and brought in Peyton Watson in a sign-and-trade with Denver, while Max Strus was sent to the Clippers as part of the same broader shuffle.
What made the opening possible was James Harden declining his player option and then signing a new deal later than anticipated, which created the kind of cap flexibility that can change a summer plan in a hurry. Harden has also reportedly been involved in recruiting Watson and has been active in team workouts, a detail that adds an unusual layer to a move Cleveland fans probably did not see coming when the offseason started. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Suddenly Have A Real Path To The Easts Top Seed
The Cavaliers finished their offseason by adding two more pieces in James Harden and Peyton Watson, with Watson agreeing to a four-year deal, and it gives the roster a noticeably different look heading into the new season. Cleveland has been leaning into depth and athleticism around the core, with names like Mario Hezonja also part of the mix, and the front office seems to have built a group that can withstand the grind of the East better than it could a year ago.
What makes the conversation more interesting is how much of this comes down to fit as much as talent. The Cavaliers are not just collecting names, they are trying to stitch together a group that can settle in quickly, build chemistry and avoid the kind of uneven stretches that can cost a team in the standings. If the pieces come together the way Cleveland believes they can, the path to finishing atop the Eastern Conference suddenly looks more real than it did when the summer began. [Read more 🡒]