The NBA s toughest team is released! The Cavaliers spend the most money and the luxury tax is scary. Winning the championship becomes their only goal.

I believe that many people will not guess that the team with the highest total salary and luxury tax in the NBA is the Cleveland Cavaliers. Yes, this seemingly "not cost-effective" team has a total salary of US$228.6 million and a luxury tax of US$163.9 million alone, ranking first in the league. However, the Cavaliers' management obviously does not want to disband the lineup and plans to fight for another year.

They made several adjustments during the offseason: renewing Merrill's four-year contract for 38 million, sending Okoro for Lonzo Ball, signing veteran Nance Jr., and two non-guaranteed short-term contracts for Bryant and Hayes. Although Ty Jerome left for the Grizzlies, the overall lineup framework is still intact. According to ESPN's top 100 players for the new season, the Cavaliers have four players in the top 50, namely Allen, Garland, Mitchell, and Mobley. Unfortunately, Struss was reimbursed for the season due to a foot injury and is not expected to return until early 2026.

Last season the Cavaliers won 64 games and lost 18, ranking first in the league in offensive efficiency and eighth in defensive efficiency. It was the second-best result in team history, second only to the James era. But in the playoffs, although they swept the Heat in the first round, they were eliminated by the Pacers in the second round. No one except Mitchell could stand up.

Outsiders believe that the Cavaliers' problem lies in their lineup structure, especially the weak defense of the back line. It is for this reason that they chose to trade for Ball, hoping to make up for their shortcomings in defense and outside stability. In contrast, the Cavaliers' real burden is those huge contracts. Mobley, Garland, Mitchell and Allen all have long-term contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and their salary space is almost locked.