The Cavaliers are still spending big. Just not as big as they once were.
Coming out of the All-Star break, only seven NBA teams remain in luxury tax territory. That number is down sharply from earlier this month, when 14 teams were staring at tax bills, per Bobby Marks of ESPN.
The trade deadline did its job. The Celtics, Nuggets, Suns, Mavericks, 76ers, Magic, and Raptors all maneuvered below the tax line, while others shaved their exposure.
Cleveland made the loudest move.
At one point, the Cavs were projected to pay nearly $164 million in tax penalties. Deadline deals changed that picture dramatically. According to Eric Pincus of Sports Business Classroom, Cleveland’s projected bill dropped by more than $95 million.
They still lead the league, though.
The Cavs now sit at roughly $68.7 million in projected tax penalties, narrowly ahead of the Warriors. The Knicks and Lakers follow behind.
Those numbers are not final. Roster moves, incentives, and late signings can still shift things. But the bigger takeaway is this: The league-wide tax pool has shrunk, and so has the payout to non-taxpaying teams, now projected at about $4.8 million each.
For the Cavs, it is the cost of doing business. They trimmed the damage. They did not abandon the plan.
DRIBBLES | Cavs get right back at it, waste no time with Nets
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