Cavaliers’ Altman Faces Looming Second-Apron Dilemma
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Cleveland Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman said the franchise is already planning for the financial pressure that will arrive as the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement tightens spending limits around the so-called “second apron.”
“The question will come for us: How do you navigate this collective bargaining agreement and the restrictions that we have?” Altman told ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “For us, we’ve set ourselves up to have a runway with the guys we have.”
The Cavaliers’ core—Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen—are all in their 20s and under contract. Keeping that quartet together will become increasingly expensive if the team does not produce postseason success soon. Altman acknowledged that the financial squeeze is “inevitable” once payroll pushes beyond the CBA’s new threshold.
Other contenders have already paid a steep price. The Boston Celtics, for example, remained in the luxury tax throughout their championship season, with ownership reportedly absorbing about $100 million in tax payments. Altman indicated Cleveland’s ownership is reluctant to spend that much unless the club is competing for titles.
Cleveland has been eliminated in the first round twice in the past three postseasons, most recently falling to the Indiana Pacers in five games after a 64-win regular season. Another early exit could force the front office to make difficult roster decisions sooner than expected.
Source: Hoops Wire
