The Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the biggest threats to win the Eastern Conference this season and have the roster to do it.
Cleveland has some of the best players in the conference in Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.
The four players are collectively earning about $152 million this season, a steep price for a team that hasn’t even reached the conference finals together.
The Cavaliers’ payroll has set them apart, placing them in a league of their own. According to Colin Salao from Front Office Sports, Cleveland boasts the highest payroll at an impressive $392 million.
Cleveland’s payroll is approximately $228.6 million for the season, but they face a hefty $163.8 million tax penalty for exceeding the second apron threshold.
“Cleveland has the NBA’s highest payroll at $228.6 million, about $23 million more than the next highest team, according to data from Spotrac. The Cavaliers saw a salary spike compared to last season as the extensions of Donovan Mitchell (three years, $150.3 million) and Evan Mobley (five years, $269.1 million) hit the books,” Salao wrote on Tuesday.
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