When LeBron James was in Cleveland a few years back, taking the Cavaliers to four straight NBA Finals and one championship, it was not uncommon to hear that he was the team’s “true GM”. It was actually fairly true to say that moves would be “waiting’ on LeBron as the front office sought his opinion; he was involved, publicly and privately, in the franchise’s transactions.
Yet that was four years ago, and LeBron James has since won a title playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. Why the headline, then? LeBron isn’t even on the Cavs; how could he be holding up transactions for the team?
The greatest player in Cavs history may be a free agent next summer. Why LeBron James may be holding up multiple Cavs transactions
The answer lies next summer, when LeBron James will be a free agent and the Cavs are currently in line for maximum cap space. Could The King be contemplating a return (again)? It’s a very real possibility, one that grows more real with each tremor of dysfunction rocking its way through the Lakers’ organization.
The Cavs aren’t going to sit on their hands and wait to see if he wants to come back, but they are certainly watching closely to see what James does. The key date is August 4th; that’s when LeBron becomes eligible for a contract extension. If he signs it, then the Cavs can move forward with other priorities. If he doesn’t, suddenly the speculation will spike.
Let’s look at three transactions that the Cavs have on their radar that could be held up because the team is waiting on LeBron James.
3 Cavs moves that might be waiting on LeBron James: Collin Sexton deal
After months of publicly reaffirming their love for one another, the Cavs and Collin Sexton have had no reported progress on a deal since free agency began. As a restricted free agent, the Cavaliers can match any contract Sexton signs with another team, likely dampening the market and limiting his options.
The Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs are the only two teams with functional cap space, but neither has made a move to sign Sexton. Perhaps that is because they’re not interested, but it could also be that Sexton isn’t meeting with other teams because he knows he is coming back to the Cavs.
Whatever the setup, why hasn’t something happened yet? It could be because of the long-term contract implications. First, if the Cavs sign Sexton to a high enough number without offloading salary somehow they could be in the luxury tax this season, which means even more punitive measures if they stay there in subsequent years. Additionally, whatever money Sexton is owed next season cuts into their max salary slot.
If LeBron James coming to Cleveland is a serious option, then the Cavs will likely make sacrifices elsewhere in order to maintain the cap space next summer to sign him. If it is not, and James signs the extension with the Lakers, then they can back off trying to finagle resources to stay ready and instead move forward as a crew.
3 Cavs moves that might be waiting on LeBron James: Caris LeVert extension
The Cleveland Cavaliers have a finite number of assets in building their team towards contention over the next few years. Those assets include players, draft picks and salaries. Anytime the team spends a significant amount of assets on a transaction, it’s a tell that the team highly values that player.
At the NBA Trade Deadline, the Cavs not only traded for Caris LeVert, but they also outbid other teams like the New York Knicks for him. They ultimately sent Ricky Rubio, a first and a very nice second-round pick. That first will likely convey this season, while the second has already become Andrew Nembhard, one of the best point guard prospects in the draft this year.
It matters a bit that LeVert’s play in Cleveland was bad, and also that his flaws as a player limit the ceiling of whatever team he is on. But more so it matters that this front office invested significant resources to bring him in, and that means the Cavs are thinking hard, or already planning to offer, LeVert a contract extension.
The one factor that above all could influence them otherwise is that a LeVert extension eats into their maximum cap space for next summer. LeVert is eligible for an extension on August 7th, a few days after LeBron James becomes eligible for his. If James doesn’t sign his right away, do the Cavs wait on LeVert as well? Even a 38-year-old LeBron James is worth having on the team over LeVert, but is a 30 percent chance at James worth letting LeVert walk? A 15 percent chance? Should the Cavs let him walk anyway? These are questions the front office is and should be asking right now.
3 Cavs moves that might be waiting on LeBron James: Cedi Osman trade
Cedi Osman is a decent wing player, with a decent outside shot and decent defensive tools. He’s not bad at handling the ball, not bad at rebounding, not bad at scoring. For a team in the lottery or even in the play-in mix, he’s a fine rotational wing.
The problem is that his shot isn’t consistent enough to be a weapon, his defense isn’t good enough to be a stopper, and his playmaking isn’t good enough to be a secondary creator. The Cavs have to get one of those three from players in their rotation, and Osman’s inconsistency and lack of a special skill are likely to see him on the outside of the rotation looking in this season.
As such, the Cavs are motivated to move him to another team that values his size and skillset. Teams like the Charlotte Hornets, the Sacramento Kings, the Chicago Bulls may be interested in Osman. Yet before the Cavs work out a trade, they have to know what their priorities are.
Do they want to move Osman for simply cap relief? A draft pick? Is taking back salary past this year fine, or do they need to get back an expiring deal in order to add to the cap space next summer? There are a number of players who may be worth max or near-max contracts next summer, but who besides LeBron might actually come to Cleveland? Working hard to keep open that space is because they think LeBron James might be coming.
Trades, signings and extensions are all somewhat on hold for the Cavs, at least until LeBron James indicates in early August whether he is committing to the Lakers or whether he may be open to the market. If the latter, expect the Cavs to diligently keep open next summer’s space. If James does sign that extension, there could be a flurry of moves as the Cavs conduct their business accordingly.