The NBA does not provide fair and equitable salaries to every player. The overall system is incredibly balanced, with players as a whole receiving 51 percent of basketball-related income (BRI). On an individual level, however, some players make out while others are squeezed; that’s the reality of the league’s salary cap.
Maximum contracts cap the salaries of players on the top end, so that the very best players in the league make less than their elite contributions. Minimum contracts at the bottom end ensure all players are making decent money no matter their contributions. The rookie scale, extension rules, restricted free agency and the timing of cap increases all factor into a league where any one player is not guaranteed to make exactly what they are worth.
Not every player’s salary is created equal
That inequity is how teams can put together contending teams using the same salary cap as every other team. Whether it’s signing a player to a below-market deal and watching them blossom, or drafting a player who is ready to help while still on their rookie deal, the best teams take advantage of the financial inequity to build an elite roster.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are no exception, as they have built their team while multiple contributors are still on rookie deals. Darius Garland’s salary takes a leap this season, and while he is still probably slightly underpaid we’ll leave him off this list; the same for Jarrett Allen, who is incredibly valuable to Cleveland at just $20 million per season, but as a center his value leaguewide is reduced.
There are still three players on the team who are the most underpaid; let’s take a look at why they’re underpaid and what they can bring to the Cavaliers this season.
Evan Mobley is underpaid
The best way to get massive value out of an NBA contract is to draft a player who is ready to help a team win within the first couple of years of their career. Evan Mobley fits the bill perfectly, as from the jump in his rookie season he was flexing his defensive muscle, and last season was one of the best defenders in the league.
Mobley finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season. Here are the salaries of the other Top 6 finishers:
- Jaren Jackson Jr. – $27.1 million
- Brook Lopez – $25 million
- Draymond Green – $22.3 million
- Bam Adebayo – $32.6 million
- Giannis Antetokounmpo – $45.6 million
Evan Mobley will make just $8.8 million next season in the third year of his rookie contract; he’ll make just $11.2 million the following season. The value the Cavaliers are getting on his deal will help them maximize the depth around Mobley and the team’s other stars.
What’s more, Mobley should be even better next season than he was in 2022-23, whether taking yet another step forward defensively or adding pieces to his game on offense. The sky feels like the limit for Mobley, and any further improvements will only increase his value. He is likely to be one of the most underpaid players in the league next season.
Donovan Mitchell is underpaid
Donovan Mitchell is entering the third season of the maximum contract extension that he signed with the Utah Jazz; how could he be underpaid? In the NBA “max contracts” are not created equal; a player coming off of his rookie contract is eligible for the “rookie maximum extension” which is often called the “fun max” because it gives a player life-changing money but is capped at 25 percent of the cap (or 30 percent if a player qualifies for a Rose-rule deal).
Mitchell will therefore make just $33.1 million next season, which is a large amount but nowhere near the top salaries in the league. His salary ranks just 36th in the entire league next year, behind everyone from teammate Darius Garland to Ben Simmons (he did qualify for the Rose rule) and nearly $20 million behind Stephen Curry for the top salary in the league.
After making Second Team All-NBA last season, Mitchell is clearly underpaid when compared to the other top players in the league. He probably doesn’t have a claim to being a Top 10 player in the league, but he probably settles into the 11-20 range; he’s well underpaid for that level of play.
Mitchell’s salary will continue to be a talking point, as the Cavaliers try to convince him to sign a long-term contract extension to stay with the team. Mitchell can exercise a player option to hit free agency in 2025, starting the timer on his time with Cleveland.
Dean Wade is underpaid
The last player on our list is likely the most surprising, especially after he was on the fringes of the rotation last season. Yet it’s probably not all that bold to say that Dean Wade is underpaid, especially if he enters the season fully recovered from the shoulder injury that hindered his shot last year.
Wade makes just $5.7 million next season, the 10th-most on the team and just 4.2 percent of the salary cap. While he hasn’t fully built his reputation in the league, at his core Wade is the perfect 3-and-D forward, able to defend 3s and 4s and knock down 3-point shots at a solid clip; that kind of player tends to make much more than $5.7 million per season.
Max Strus just signed a contract with the Cavs averaging $15.75 million per season; he’s a career 37.1 percent 3-point shooter, just better than Wade’s 36.2 career percentage. Wade is a significantly better defender, has more size and is a better rebounder. Strus provides a movement shooting element that Wade does not, but the pay discrepancy highlights how Wade is likely to be worth more than he is making.
Wade isn’t going to turn into Dirk Nowitzki, but his combination of size, defense and shooting makes him a valuable player and probably a lock to be in the rotation next season, especially if his shot comes all the way back after an offseason of rest for his shoulder. He’ll join Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell as the most underpaid players on the roster.