Cavaliers: Salary Cap Issues Plague Team

Coming off from a remarkable season and an even more remarkable Finals performance, salary cap factors remain to create problems for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Unlike the rest of the league, in which money is being thrown around to various players, the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ offseason has been characterized by the team’s lack of money.

The reigning champions can only afford players who would accept the veteran’s minimum because they owe the league $54 million in luxury tax. This issue forced the Cavaliers to settle for acquiring veterans like Mike Dunleavy and Chris Andersen who do not really improve the roster.

Another move that is an obvious, yet unnecessary, correlation to their money problems is the team’s recent signing of Cory Jefferson to a training camp deal. According to international basketball reporter David Pick, Eric Moreland is also a target.

LeBron James, Channing Frye, Richard Jefferson, Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love create a dominant frontcourt for the team. So, it is highly unlikely that Cory Jefferson and Moreland  would get a spot on the roster.

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The Cavaliers’ interest in those players reiterates their settling for sub-par players in order to make some form of improvements to their roster.

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But the Cavaliers should be more concerned with their backcourt. The team recently decided not to waive veteran guard Mo Williams before the deadline on Wednesday.

Though waiving Williams would have saved the team money in luxury tax, the front office believes that Williams’ return is unlikely. The Cavaliers will possibly seek a buyout with Williams in a trade. But that would only give the Cavaliers another very sub-par player.

Williams’ absence would leave Jordan McRae and rookie Kay Felder as the backup point guard. In that scenario, Kyrie Irving would have to play more minutes and have a bigger role because the backcourt will be ultimately weak without him.

Another issue that is the result of the team’s money issue is the failure to reach a deal with J.R. Smith. The Cavaliers were finally able to reach a three-year, $100 million deal with LeBron James, but they still have not managed to sign J.R. Smith. So technically he is still a free agent.

According to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, Smith reportedly wants $15 million a year. The amount is not unreasonable, but it would definitely increase their luxury tax bill. The Cavaliers certainly cannot afford to lose an integral piece like J.R. Smith.

But the players are not the only ones that are affected by this money issue. According to Chris Haynes of ESPN, the Cavaliers’ front office and coaches are in conflict over their contracts. Head coach Tyronn Lue has agreed to a five-year, $35 million extension with the team.

But assistant coaches Phil Handy, Damon Jones, Jim Boylan and James Posey do not have contracts for next season. The situation has angered the coaches so much that it has reached a “point of hostility” between the two parties.

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The front office of the Cavaliers clearly has some issue on their hands. And all of them point toward this money issue that has seemed to sour the team’s glorious offseason.