Report: Cavs Have Added Monster Amount of Money to Payroll Since LeBron’s Departure

It’s no secret that the Cleveland Cavaliers have been in a major rebuilding phase since losing LeBron James to free agency last summer. Now, according to a report from a team insider, it looks as though that process has led to a huge increase in salary obligations.

“As the Cavs have one of the worst records in the NBA as they sort through the rubble of LeBron’s departure,” wrote The Plain Dealer’s Terry Pluto, “they ADDED $34.4 million to the payroll, according to an NBA source.”

Before that information leads anyone to worry, the payroll additions have actually led to a lot of future players that could help an organization in reset mode. Through taking on veteran contracts that other teams didn’t want on their books, the team has secured eight draft picks through 2023.

That haul of picks includes Houston’s first-rounder in 2019, which came along with Brandon Knight’s hefty contract in this month’s deal. This means that the Cavs will have a second pick to go along with their lottery choice in this summer’s NBA draft. There are also six second-round picks from 2020-23.

The payroll books might look fatter than expected right now, but it’s all part of the plan for the Cavaliers’ front office.