Cavs One Of Three Teams Battling Second Apron Entering NBA Free Agency

Things will be tight for your Cleveland Cavaliers this NBA free agency season. 

How tight? Well, consider that the Cavs are one of just three teams that fall under the league’s second apron, with no signing exceptions, per Keith Smith of Spotrac. Cleveland joins the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns.

What does that mean? Glad you asked. It means the Cavs can still sign some free agents, though they will be incredibly limited in doing so. There just isn’t a lot of wiggle room. So their priorities will be bringing back guards Ty Jerome and Sam Merrill when the signing period tips off Monday.

The Cavaliers presumably would also like to add a playable backup big man behind Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Doable, but again, difficult under the new labor rules.

How did the Cavs get here?

“Cleveland will join this group by virtue of acquiring De’Andre Hunter at the trade deadline, along with extensions kicking in for Donovan Mitchell and Mobley, with a bump up to the 30% max salary for the latter,” Smith explained. “The Cavs have never shied away from paying for a contender, so they’ll likely end up even deeper into the tax after re-signing a couple of key free agents, too.”

Smith has a point. The Cavaliers finished 64-18 this past season before getting bounced by the Indiana Pacers in the second round of the playoffs. They want to take the next step. They undoubtedly will spare no expense.

More likely than a free agent signing, though, is improving via trade. We’ve heard names such as wing Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade floating on the rumor mill.

But beyond Jerome and Merrill, if the Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman is to make a move (whether it be via free agency or trade), it’s likely to come closer to the start of training camp in late September.

For that, the Cavaliers have the cap situation to thank. Or to blame. Take your pick.