The Cleveland Cavaliers inked Donovan Mitchell to a massive contract extension this summer. A deal that will pay him over $75 million in a single season by the end of it. It's the type of contract that will almost guarantee the Cavs' second-apron downfall -- a downfall they may already be facing right now. And the Lu Dort trade just gave them a glimpse into that future. A future that Mitchell, and his contract extension, solidified.
Dort was just traded by the Oklahoma City Thunder in what Sam Presti admits was a salary-related move. OKC traded Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team trade that also included the Dallas Mavericks. Atlanta received Dort and Ryan Nembhard, Dallas received Zaccharie Risacher, and the Thunder got three second-round picks and additional cap flexibility. Now, OKC is under the second apron heading into next year.
That's the type of move the Cavaliers are going to have to make sooner rather than later, and the Mitchell extension only confirms that reality for them.
Cavaliers will soon have to make cost-cutting moves
The Cavaliers are already close to the second apron. Depending on how the LeBron James and James Harden situations play out, that could change, but they're certainly pressed up against the Mark. They owe a lot of players a lot of money, and they don't have much to show for it right now.
Mitchell's extension ensures that the Cavs will have an All-NBA-caliber player leading the way for years to come. And with that, they should be a staple in the Eastern Conference playoff race. But the cost of keeping their core intact is going to hurt their depth in the long run.
In addition to Mitchell's contract, the Cavs will soon also have to deal with an Evan Mobley extension. He's going to be eligible to make a ton of money, even in just the first year of his upcoming new deal. Combined with Mitchell's extension, that's going to be a brutal pill to swallow for the Cavs when it comes to dealing with the second apron.
Jarrett Allen makes a lot of money for a role player (even though he's a former All-Star). Max Strus is on a fairly large contract. Then there are guys like Sam Merrill, Dennis Schroder (depending on how long he stays in Cleveland), and that's without even considering the Harden and James of it all.
The point is, Cleveland’s roster is about to be very expensive, and they’re going to have to make deals like the Thunder’s Dort trade just to avoid the aprons.
Their version of Dort could be anyone from Allen to Strus.
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