Summer rewind: Cleveland Cavaliers
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A look at the key offseason moves and changes for every team in the league. The final one: the Cleveland Cavaliers.
OFFSEASON ADDITIONS
Draft
Kay Felder
Free agents
LeBron James
Richard Jefferson
Chris Andersen
James Jones
DeAndre Liggins
Markel Brown
Eric Moreland
John Holland
Dahntay Jones
Trade
Mike Dunleavy
THE REWIND
Taking care of the king
The question going into the summer was not if free agent LeBron James would be back but rather what type of contract he would sign.
For James and his camp the decision would come down to two choices: follow the path from last summer and sign a one-year contract $3 million below the max salary but become eligible for full Bird rights next July, or sign a contract for at least two seasons (not counting options) at the max but lose the chance to take advantage of a projected $102 million salary cap.
James ended up signing a three-year contract (player option in 2018-19) using early Bird rights, allowing Cleveland to go into next summer without the uncertainty of free agency hovering around the organization.
The benefits of a trade exception
The Cavaliers showed creativity in mid-July with a player they would eventually lose in free agency.
With restricted free agent Matthew Dellavedova set to sign in Milwaukee, Cleveland orchestrated a sign-and-trade deal with the Bucks.
Though Dellavedova joined a divisional foe, the deal created a $4.8 million exception to use in trades.
Limited in ways to build its roster in the offseason, Cleveland used the exception to acquire wing Mike Dunleavy from the Bulls.
The deal netted the Cavs a veteran on a manageable contract to help the bench and preserved the $9.6 million trade exception created when Anderson Varejao was sent to Portland in February.
Waiting on J.R. Smith
Cleveland and veteran guard J.R. Smith are at a contract impasse for the second straight summer.
Smith signed his contract Sept. 2 last summer, but the veteran now finds himself unsigned one week before training camp.
Smith was instrumental in last season’s championship run, but with the Cavs once again paying the luxury tax, it will be difficult to give the 31-year-old the kind of money earned by this year’s free-agent class.
With Smith set to enter his 13th season, the Cavaliers need to find common ground that will benefit both sides.
CAP BREAKDOWN
Player 2016
1. LeBron James $30,963,450
2. Kevin Love $21,165,675
3. Kyrie Irving $17,638,063
4. Tristan Thompson $15,330,435
5. Iman Shumpert $9,662,922
6. Channing Frye $7,806,971
7. Mike Dunleavy $4,837,500
8. Richard Jefferson $2,500,000
9. Mo Williams $2,194,500
10. Chris Andersen $980,431
11. James Jones $980,431
12. Jordan McRae $874,636
13. Kay Felder $543,471
Non-guaranteed
14. DeAndre Liggins $1,015,696
15. Markel Brown $980,431
16. Eric Moreland $980,431
17. John Holland $874,636
18. Dahntay Jones $980,431
Free-agent cap hold
J.R. Smith $9,500,000
Salary table 2016
Guaranteed salaries $115,478,485
Dead money $0
Non-guaranteed $4,831,625
Tax variance $211,590
Free-agent cap holds $9,500,000
Incomplete roster charge $0
Salaries: cap $129,810,110
Salaries: tax $130,021,700
Salary cap $94,143,000
Luxury tax $113,287,000
Cap space None ($35,667,110 over)
Tax Room None ($16,734,700 over)
Coming off an NBA championship, Cleveland wanted to retain its core group.
Over the cap when July began, the Cavaliers used early Bird rights on All-Star LeBron James, the tax mid-level to sign Richard Jefferson and a trade exception to acquire Dunleavy.
Over the cap and the tax, Cleveland can use full Bird rights and exceed the cap to sign Smith.
RESTRICTIONS
Free agents signed in the offseason cannot be traded until either Dec. 15, Jan. 15 or for three months if they signed after Sept. 15.
Jefferson, James Jones, Chris Andersen, DeAndre Liggins, Markel Brown, John Holland and Eric Moreland cannot be traded until Dec. 15.
Dahntay Jones cannot be traded until Dec. 22 because his signing occurred after Sept. 15.
LeBron James is not eligible to be traded until Jan. 15 because his contract exceeds his previous salary by more than 20 percent, but he is one of four players in the league with a no-trade clause.
James Jones signed a one-year contract and cannot be traded without his approval.
If Jones consents to a trade he will then forfeit his Bird rights.
EXTENSION CANDIDATES
Rookie
None
Veteran
None
DEPTH CHART
Starter Bench Bench
PG Kyrie Irving Mo Williams Kay Felder/Markel Brown
SG Iman Shumpert Mike Dunleavy J. McRae/D. Jones/J. Holland
SF LeBron James Richard Jefferson James Jones/DeAndre Liggins
PF Kevin Love Channing Frye Eric Moreland
C Tristan Thompson Chris Andersen
Cleveland has 13 guaranteed contracts with two roster spots open and one likely reserved for Smith.
With Brown, Moreland, Holland, Liggins and Dahntay Jones on non-guaranteed contracts, the Cavaliers can fill their final roster spot based on need or go into the season with roster flexibility.
SNEAK PEEK TO NEXT SUMMER
The Cavaliers will once again be over the salary cap and right up against the luxury tax.
With $118 million in salary, including the partial guarantee of Mike Dunleavy, the Cavaliers will have their first-round pick, tax mid-level exception and minimum contracts to fill out their roster.
KEEP AN EYE ON
Backup PG
With Dellavedova in Milwaukee, the Cavaliers will rely on veteran Mo Williams and second-round pick Kay Felder to shore up the backup point-guard spot.
Williams, 33 and in the twilight of this career, and the unproven Felder will be counted on early with All-Star Kyrie Irving coming off a long summer in which he led the Cavaliers deep into June and helped Team USA to an Olympic gold medal.
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