Cleveland Cavaliers roster, salaries, cap space, available draft picks and more

The Cleveland Cavaliers are heading into training camp and the regular season. Given the complexity of the salary cap, we’ve partnered with SalarySwish to use their data and answer any questions you might have about the Cavs’ financial situation.

Below is the live, updating table displaying what Koby Altman and company will be working with as they try to improve the roster. This is worth bookmarking as the table will automatically update throughout the year with the Cav’s moves.

Cavs roster, salaries, draft picks, cap space and more

Below is SalarySwish’s table on the Cavs.

Now, because that is a lot of data, let’s dive into a few key pieces of context and what it means, and try to answer a few questions.

FAQ

What is the Cavs cap situation for this season?

The Cavs are currently over the salary cap and into the luxury tax with a total of $172,074,446 on the books. The Exhibit 10 contracts are currently counting against the cap in the above graphic, but won’t be once those players are waived. The Cavs are expected to go into the season with 14 players.

Cleveland is currently over the luxury tax by $2,074,446 if you’re just counting rostered players. The only unguaranteed contract on their 14-man roster currently is Sam Merrill’s $2.2 million deal.

Can the Cavs still use their mid-level exception?

Yes. The Cavs haven’t used the midlevel exception yet for this season. It is not the full mid-level exception due to them being over the luxury tax line. They have $5,168,000 they can spend on a player. Currently, they would be able to do that and stay under the first apron.

What happens when the Cavs enter the luxury tax?

The penalty for being in the luxury tax, but staying under the first and second aprons is just a financial penalty for this offseason. There is however a repeater tax for teams that are in the tax three out of four seasons. The Cavs will be deemed to be in the luxury tax for the season if they remain there on the last day of the regular season.

Teams in the first apron have stricter rules on who they can sign mid-season and tighter rules regarding the incoming salary in trades. Teams in the second apron do not have the taxpayer midlevel exception, have stricter guidelines on trades, and can have their draft pick moved to a later spot if they are repeatedly in the second apron.

What is the situation for seasons beyond 2024-25?

Cleveland’s salary will jump to $192 million in 2025-26 and $196 million the following season. There are only ten players under contract for the 2025-26 season and eight for the 2026-27 season. The unrestricted free agent for next season will be Caris LeVert, Ty Jerome, Sam Merrill, and Tristan Thompson.

The salary cap and the corresponding tax thresholds are expected to go up each season due to the TV contracts the league signed. The exact numbers aren’t known yet, but they will likely be in the luxury tax again.

What draft picks can the Cavs trade?

The Cavs are not able to trade away a first-round pick without getting one in return due to the Stepien Rule. This rule requires a team to have a first-round pick in every other draft. Cleveland sent out their own firsts for 2025, 2027, and 2029 in the Mitchell trade. They own a first in the even years (although the Utah Jazz have a right to pick swap in 2026 and 2028).

Even though they have a first this year and in 2026, 2028, and 2030, they aren’t able to trade them unless they get a first-rounder for those years back in the trade or have acquired first(s) that would prevent them from going two seasons in a row without having a first-round pick. The only first-round pick they can currently trade is their 2031 selection.

The Stepien rule doesn’t apply to second-round picks. The Cavs could trade any second-rounder that they have in their possession which includes the following:

• 2025 Cavs second
• 2025 Bucks second
• 2026 Cavs second
• 2027 Cavs second
• 2027 Nuggets second
• 2028 Cavs second
• 2029 Cavs second

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