Breaking down this summer’s upcoming Cavs free agents, as well as those with player and team options for 2022-23.
Despite falling in the NBA Play-In Tournament, the Cleveland Cavaliers were perhaps the most pleasant surprise in the Eastern Conference. Most NBA oddsmakers had them finishing well outside the postseason with a still-young team supposedly not ready to contend. Yet the franchise had its best regular season since LeBron James left the second time, finishing with a 44-38 record — good for a tie for seventh in the standings.
Injuries, most notably to guard Collin Sexton and eventually traded Ricky Rubio, hindered some of the progress the team started with early in the year. Cleveland rose to as high as second in the East before landing in the play-in.
Cleveland also had two All-Star players on an LBJ-less roster for the first time since Mark Price, Larry Nance Sr. and Brad Daugherty played for the Cavs in the 1992-93 season. This year, it was Darius Garland and center Jarrett Allen who held that honor, and with the addition of Rookie of the Year finalist Evan Mobley, the Cavs have a young and talented trio they hope will keep them in playoff contention for years to come.
Check out Boardroom’s full breakdown of imminent Cavs free agents, as well as a snapshot of the team’s salary cap outlook as things currently stand.
2022 Cleveland Cavaliers Free Agents
Contract and salary figures via Spotrac unless otherwise noted. Restricted free agent status designates that a player’s current team reserves the right to match any rival team’s contract offer sheet in order to prevent that player’s departure.
1. C Moses Brown (restricted)
- Age: 23
- Expiring Contract: 1 year, $1,933,909 (via HoopsHype)
- 20201-22 Salary: $1,933,909
2. C Ed Davis (unrestricted)
- Age: 33
- Expiring Contract: 1 year, $2,641,691
- 2021-22 Salary: $2,641,691
3. PG Brandon Goodwin (unrestricted)
- Age: 26
- Expiring Contract: Two-Way contract
- 2021-22 Salary: $343,988 (via Hoopshype)
4. PG R.J. Nembhard (restricted — two-way contract)
- Age: 23
- Expiring Contract: 1 year, $491,876
- 2021-22 Salary: $491,876 (via HoopsHype)
5. PG Rajon Rondo (unrestricted)
- Age: 36
- Expiring Contract: 1 year, $2,641,691
- 2021-22 Salary: $2,641,691
6. G Collin Sexton (restricted)
- Age: 23
- Expiring Contract: 4 years, $20,175,111
- 2021-22 Salary: $6,349,671
Cavs Contract Options for 2022-23
PF Dean Wade (team option)
- Current Contract: 3 years, $6,385,602
- 2021-22 Salary: $1,782,621
- 2022-23 Option: $1,930,681
Cavaliers 2022 Salary Cap Numbers
All dollar figures and cap estimates via Spotrac as of April 19. Reflects a “soft” salary cap of $112.414 million, a luxury tax threshold of $136.606 million, and a $143.002 million luxury tax apron for hard-capped teams.
- Active contracts: $129,666,274
- Dead cap money: $3,472,127
- Total salary cap usage: $133,138,401
- Estimated 2021-22 luxury tax bill: None
- Salary on the books for 2022-23: $125,447,687
Click here to read Boardroom’s full breakdown of NBA salary cap spending by team this season.