Cleveland Cavaliers fans watched with joy and perhaps a hint of wistfulness as Caris LeVert scored a game-winning layup against the Memphis Grizzlies last week. LeVert was a part of a number of joyous moments for the Cavaliers, but this was his first career buzzer-beater. Props to LeVert.
The win was a key one for an Atlanta Hawks team fighting for postseason positioning, pushing them up into position in seventh to have two shots at making the playoffs. At the time of the Hawks' deadline day deal with the Cavaliers, swapping out De'Andre Hunter for Georges Niang and Caris LeVert, Atlanta was floundering and at risk of dropping to the very bottom of the Play-In bracket.
It may not seem like a phenomenal improvement, but the 23-28 Hawks proceeded to go 7-6 over the next month, with Niang and LeVert playing key roles. LeVert has averaged 16.8 points per game in Atlanta, serving as a play-finisher and the team's Sixth Man. Niang has been averaging a career-best 13.6 points per game, shooting 40.5 percent from deep and playing a robust 26.8 minutes per game.
Niang in particular has needed to step up in the absence of another former Cavalier, Larry Nance Jr., who has been sidelined for weeks now with a knee injury. Niang has provided the Hawks with a stretch-big element, further weaponizing actions with assist-mongerer Trae Young. Nance was highly effective in limited minutes with the Hawks earlier this season, but as usual with Nance he has been hindered by injuries.
Yet for as important as these former Cavaliers have been to the Hawks, the team's financial situation this summer could mean losing both Caris LeVert and Larry Nance Jr.
Ex-Cavaliers may be searching for a new home
The Atlanta Hawks have a track record of not paying the luxury tax, and given the team's status as a fringe playoff team it is hard to justify breaking that stance. Yet it may mean painful goodbyes this summer.
As reported by Mike Scotto of HoopsHype, the Hawks are "not looking to go over the luxury tax threshold" next season, which could "play a role...in the future of those veterans" -- namely, LeVert, Nance and longtime starting center Clint Capela.
The Hawks moved on from De'Andre Hunter in large part because they wanted salary flexibility next season, so it seems unlikely they would immediately turn around and pay LeVert the same type of salary -- north of $20 million per season. Additionally, next season a contract extension for Jalen Johnson kicks in, and the following year both Trae Young and Dyson Daniels will be due for new contracts.
The saving grace for the Hawks in regards to LeVert will be a lack of cap space around the league. If they make an offer only moderately above the Mid-Level Exception, it's possible LeVert would be forced to accept it. It's possible the Hawks could pay that to LeVert and still duck the tax next season.
How these situations often play out, however, is that a team does want to sign a player to a higher amount and works out a sign-and-trade to do so. That's what the Cleveland Cavaliers did to add Max Strus two summers ago, and the Miami Heat were willing to facillitate the deal.
Another team could work that out and send compensation back to the Hawks. LeVert would get his payday, and the Hawks wouldn't be stuck entirely empty-handed after trading for him.
Larry Nance is much more of a question mark. His market is likely to be quite low as he battles through yet another injury-plagued season. It will be difficult for a team to commit eight figures per season to a player who may miss half of their team's games. That's the reality with Nance despite his skill and shooting ability.
Would that put a team like the Cavaliers in play to sign him at the minimum? Nance will be a 10-year veteran this summer, qualifying him for the maximum amount on a minimum contract, currently estimated at $3.6 million. Would he rather return to Cleveland, where he was beloved and his father is a legend, and compete for a championship? If the most other teams are offering is five million, the numbers could be close enough to justify the lower salary.
The Hawks have become something of Cleveland South by adding multiple Cavaliers players, and they have proven to be key members of their team. That may prove to be a short reality, however, as the Hawks' own financial limitations force them to bid two of them goodbye this summer.