2026-27 Regular Season

[toooskies]

https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2026/08/latest-on-cavaliers-roster-moves.html

Oh wow, this is reporting if we stretch+waive Whitmore, we can only sign Ismael Kamagate or Khalifa Diop, to stay under the 1st apron.

Hopefully we find a trade partner to salary dump him.

The HoopsRumors Harden number is wrong. They have Harden requiring at least $30.8m, while Spotrac has him at $29.9m the first year.

Doing that adjustment, the Cavs have $2.1m to offer a player, which is still under the league minimum of $2.5m, but not so much that they couldn't sign Kamagate/Diop at the start of the season, waive him in December or January before the guarantee date, and sign a real league minimum player then. Even a little bit left over for 10-days and a March ring chaser.

[JujitsuFlip]

https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2026/08/latest-on-cavaliers-roster-moves.html

Oh wow, this is reporting if we stretch+waive Whitmore, we can only sign Ismael Kamagate or Khalifa Diop, to stay under the 1st apron.

Hopefully we find a trade partner to salary dump him.

The HoopsRumors Harden number is wrong. They have Harden requiring at least $30.8m, while Spotrac has him at $29.9m the first year.

Doing that adjustment, the Cavs have $2.1m to offer a player, which is still under the league minimum of $2.5m, but not so much that they couldn't sign Kamagate/Diop at the start of the season, waive him in December or January before the guarantee date, and sign a real league minimum player then. Even a little bit left over for 10-days and a March ring chaser.

RCF was saying since Harden was traded so soon from the Clippers (on his newest deal) that it made the rasies be 5% instead of 8%.

Which is where people are getting the $30.8M year 1 number.

[toooskies]

https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2026/08/latest-on-cavaliers-roster-moves.html

Oh wow, this is reporting if we stretch+waive Whitmore, we can only sign Ismael Kamagate or Khalifa Diop, to stay under the 1st apron.

Hopefully we find a trade partner to salary dump him.

The HoopsRumors Harden number is wrong. They have Harden requiring at least $30.8m, while Spotrac has him at $29.9m the first year.

Doing that adjustment, the Cavs have $2.1m to offer a player, which is still under the league minimum of $2.5m, but not so much that they couldn't sign Kamagate/Diop at the start of the season, waive him in December or January before the guarantee date, and sign a real league minimum player then. Even a little bit left over for 10-days and a March ring chaser.

RCF was saying since Harden was traded so soon from the Clippers (on his newest deal) that it made the rasies be 5% instead of 8%.

Which is where people are getting the $30.8M year 1 number.

The only rule I know about that is the one that prevents you from extending a contract at an 8% raise. This is a new contract, so 8% raises should be valid.

[JonFromVA]

Unless Harden takes less, they have no choice. The Watson S&T hard capped them at the 1st apron. Whitmore makes more than we can add to the roster.

Also, if the attitude problem is related to a mistaken belief that defense is someone else's problem, it matters.

The salary cap situation you describe is of Altman's doing as he is the guy in charge. Maybe Altman should quit making these constant, egregious salary cap issues. Do posters every constructively criticize Altman here. Stop explaining the situation and start focusing on who created the situation.

He got us out of the 2nd apron, while adding a young starting talent. No one is gonna give him grief for that.

If you want to criticize he has a drinking problem (dui arrest) or criticize he has anger management issues (blowing up on jb in front of the whole locker room). I think those are fair critiques but this summer, i wouldn't add it to the list of criticisms.

Or maybe he just needs to accept that Tre Mann and Cam Whitmore were always just tools to reduce our future cap burden?

We probably would have stretch waived Schroeder if nobody would take him off our hands; but instead Altman pulled off yet another crazy multi-team deal.

[JujitsuFlip]

The salary cap situation you describe is of Altman's doing as he is the guy in charge. Maybe Altman should quit making these constant, egregious salary cap issues. Do posters every constructively criticize Altman here. Stop explaining the situation and start focusing on who created the situation.

He got us out of the 2nd apron, while adding a young starting talent. No one is gonna give him grief for that.

If you want to criticize he has a drinking problem (dui arrest) or criticize he has anger management issues (blowing up on jb in front of the whole locker room). I think those are fair critiques but this summer, i wouldn't add it to the list of criticisms.

Or maybe he just needs to accept that Tre Mann and Cam Whitmore were always just tools to reduce our future cap burden?

We probably would have stretch waived Schroeder if nobody would take him off our hands; but instead Altman pulled off yet another crazy multi-team deal.

That was one other theory i read, is flip Whitmore for a min salary guy and stretch waive that guy. Idk how much it would help and the window to execute that is getting tight.

Salary dumping Whitmore remains our best avenue but we need a willing trade partner.

[toooskies]

The salary cap situation you describe is of Altman's doing as he is the guy in charge. Maybe Altman should quit making these constant, egregious salary cap issues. Do posters every constructively criticize Altman here. Stop explaining the situation and start focusing on who created the situation.

He got us out of the 2nd apron, while adding a young starting talent. No one is gonna give him grief for that.

If you want to criticize he has a drinking problem (dui arrest) or criticize he has anger management issues (blowing up on jb in front of the whole locker room). I think those are fair critiques but this summer, i wouldn't add it to the list of criticisms.

Or maybe he just needs to accept that Tre Mann and Cam Whitmore were always just tools to reduce our future cap burden?

We probably would have stretch waived Schroeder if nobody would take him off our hands; but instead Altman pulled off yet another crazy multi-team deal.

I mean, there's plenty of fair questions about Altman just in the past few years:

• burning more future assets beyond players currently under contract, like the 2031 1st
• made us older with the Garland trade
• whiffed on Hunter
• didn't get us all the way out of the second apron last year after the W-L backslide
• the last year of Mitchell's extension will be painful
• the last year of Harden's contract will be painful
• signed Mobley to a 30% max, which looks not-great just one year in
• still has two negatives on defense at guard
• still doesn't have big depth
• lost Wade and Jerome when they signed below expectations elsewhere

There's plenty of basketball reasons to say he's been spending too much or sacrificing too much of the future cap/draft or not getting good value.

[JujitsuFlip]

The HoopsRumors Harden number is wrong. They have Harden requiring at least $30.8m, while Spotrac has him at $29.9m the first year.

Doing that adjustment, the Cavs have $2.1m to offer a player, which is still under the league minimum of $2.5m, but not so much that they couldn't sign Kamagate/Diop at the start of the season, waive him in December or January before the guarantee date, and sign a real league minimum player then. Even a little bit left over for 10-days and a March ring chaser.

RCF was saying since Harden was traded so soon from the Clippers (on his newest deal) that it made the rasies be 5% instead of 8%.

Which is where people are getting the $30.8M year 1 number.

The only rule I know about that is the one that prevents you from extending a contract at an 8% raise. This is a new contract, so 8% raises should be valid.

We only own Harden's non Bird rights, not his full Bird rights.

https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2026/04/hoops-rumors-glossary-non-bird-rights-9.html

"Finally, it’s worth noting that a player who re-signs with his previous team on a one-year deal (or a two-year deal that includes a second-year option) and will have Early Bird or Bird rights at the end of that contract would surrender those rights if he consents to a trade. In that scenario, he’d only finish the season with Non-Bird rights. Kuminga and Cavaliers guard James Harden are among the players who fit that bill this season."

And as we know, non-Bird is only 5% raises.

https://www.salaryswish.com/bird-rights-calculator

"Non-Bird (Non-Qualifying Veteran Free Agent)

Salary increase: 5%".

[Dangun]

Watching Croatia vs Latvia and Hezonja killed.. 28pts 7ast 3reb.. I think he gonna be important piece for cavs.. gotta be the 6th man

[jbk1234]

I believe the Cavs are shooting themselves in the foot if they waive Cam Whitmore. The kid can ball and is a shotmaker. Under Altman, the Cavs always lack quality depth on the bench and during the season and playoffs it always shows up. I don't want to hear attitude problem.

Unless Harden takes less, they have no choice. The Watson S&T hard capped them at the 1st apron. Whitmore makes more than we can add to the roster.

Also, if the attitude problem is related to a mistaken belief that defense is someone else's problem, it matters.

The salary cap situation you describe is of Altman's doing as he is the guy in charge. Maybe Altman should quit making these constant, egregious salary cap issues. Do posters every constructively criticize Altman here. Stop explaining the situation and start focusing on who created the situation.

I've been very critical of the Harden extension, and I think it's fair to question to whether locking ourselves into that backcourt for three years was anything other than a bad idea.

That said, Altman didn't create the CBA, but he's still required to abide by it. If you think that Altman should have started Harden at a lower year 1 number in order to squeeze Whitmore in, even if it risked Harden walking, you should take that position. If you think the Cavs shouldn't have engaged in a S&T for Watson, you should take that position. The math is the math however.

Technically, Altman didn't even plan on giving Mobley 30% of the cap, but he won DPOY after Wemby got injured, and the escalator clause was automatic. Altman's not responsible for the NBA failing to hit its projected revenue targets and grow the cap enough to give us some wiggle room. It's not just the Cavs feeling the pinch either. There's a reason that Watson, Kuminga, and Mathurin were all available this summer when in years past, they either would not have been, or would have cost a good deal more salary to obtain.

Unless you think it's time to for Altman to move off of one of our better players on larger contracts, there's not much to be done.

[jbk1234]

https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2026/08/latest-on-cavaliers-roster-moves.html

Oh wow, this is reporting if we stretch+waive Whitmore, we can only sign Ismael Kamagate or Khalifa Diop, to stay under the 1st apron.

Hopefully we find a trade partner to salary dump him.

The HoopsRumors Harden number is wrong. They have Harden requiring at least $30.8m, while Spotrac has him at $29.9m the first year.

Doing that adjustment, the Cavs have $2.1m to offer a player, which is still under the league minimum of $2.5m, but not so much that they couldn't sign Kamagate/Diop at the start of the season, waive him in December or January before the guarantee date, and sign a real league minimum player then. Even a little bit left over for 10-days and a March ring chaser.

I'm sure Altman has already tried, but I'd like to add the rights to either or both players to Whitmore and get a little wiggle room. Ben Simmons supposedly looked good in his workout with the Kings.

[toooskies]

https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2026/08/latest-on-cavaliers-roster-moves.html

Oh wow, this is reporting if we stretch+waive Whitmore, we can only sign Ismael Kamagate or Khalifa Diop, to stay under the 1st apron.

Hopefully we find a trade partner to salary dump him.

The HoopsRumors Harden number is wrong. They have Harden requiring at least $30.8m, while Spotrac has him at $29.9m the first year.

Doing that adjustment, the Cavs have $2.1m to offer a player, which is still under the league minimum of $2.5m, but not so much that they couldn't sign Kamagate/Diop at the start of the season, waive him in December or January before the guarantee date, and sign a real league minimum player then. Even a little bit left over for 10-days and a March ring chaser.

I'm sure Altman has already tried, but I'd like to add the rights to either or both players to Whitmore and get a little wiggle room. Ben Simmons supposedly looked good in his workout with the Kings.

Kamagate and Diop don't have value except when you have to pay a 14th man to not play basketball. Which is to say, they have value only in our current scenario, and only if they're willing to travel to a foreign country to cash checks and pause any real development they could've made playing elsewhere.

[JonFromVA]

He got us out of the 2nd apron, while adding a young starting talent. No one is gonna give him grief for that.

If you want to criticize he has a drinking problem (dui arrest) or criticize he has anger management issues (blowing up on jb in front of the whole locker room). I think those are fair critiques but this summer, i wouldn't add it to the list of criticisms.

Or maybe he just needs to accept that Tre Mann and Cam Whitmore were always just tools to reduce our future cap burden?

We probably would have stretch waived Schroeder if nobody would take him off our hands; but instead Altman pulled off yet another crazy multi-team deal.

I mean, there's plenty of fair questions about Altman just in the past few years:

• burning more future assets beyond players currently under contract, like the 2031 1st
• made us older with the Garland trade
• whiffed on Hunter
• didn't get us all the way out of the second apron last year after the W-L backslide
• the last year of Mitchell's extension will be painful
• the last year of Harden's contract will be painful
• signed Mobley to a 30% max, which looks not-great just one year in
• still has two negatives on defense at guard
• still doesn't have big depth
• lost Wade and Jerome when they signed below expectations elsewhere

There's plenty of basketball reasons to say he's been spending too much or sacrificing too much of the future cap/draft or not getting good value.

Totally agree, but losing Cam Whitmore for nothing isn't the cross to die on ...

[JujitsuFlip]

https://www.hoopshype.com/story/sports/nba/rumors/2026/08/28/cavs-waive-cam-whitmore/91514851007/

Whitmore has been waived, so looks like Diop is finally gonna come over.

I assume he spends a lot of time with the Charge this season.

[jbk1234]

Or maybe he just needs to accept that Tre Mann and Cam Whitmore were always just tools to reduce our future cap burden?

We probably would have stretch waived Schroeder if nobody would take him off our hands; but instead Altman pulled off yet another crazy multi-team deal.

I mean, there's plenty of fair questions about Altman just in the past few years:

• burning more future assets beyond players currently under contract, like the 2031 1st
• made us older with the Garland trade
• whiffed on Hunter
• didn't get us all the way out of the second apron last year after the W-L backslide
• the last year of Mitchell's extension will be painful
• the last year of Harden's contract will be painful
• signed Mobley to a 30% max, which looks not-great just one year in
• still has two negatives on defense at guard
• still doesn't have big depth
• lost Wade and Jerome when they signed below expectations elsewhere

There's plenty of basketball reasons to say he's been spending too much or sacrificing too much of the future cap/draft or not getting good value.

Totally agree, but losing Cam Whitmore for nothing isn't the cross to die on ...

Losing Whitmore I can handle. Having to stretch waive him in year 1 of Harden's new deal is tough due to what it portends in years 2 & 3.

[Wisedude]

Altman's Summer roster moves summation (players who were not on the last game roster): (Harden was on the roster last season so resigning is not an addition).

IN: Peyton Watson, Mario Hezonja, Meleek Thomas, (article mentions potentially signing Khalifa Diop or Ismael Kamagate) - Niang at LSU this season.
OUT: Dean Wade, Keon Ellis, Max Strus, Dennis Schroder (Also 2031 1st round pick & 2032 2nd round Sacramento pick) - Out of draft capital to trade.

This is a all-in attempt to win a NBA World Championship this upcoming season. Only way to assess it.

[toooskies]

Altman's Summer roster moves summation (players who were not on the last game roster): (Harden was on the roster last season so resigning is not an addition).

IN: Peyton Watson, Mario Hezonja, Meleek Thomas, (article mentions potentially signing Khalifa Diop or Ismael Kamagate) - Niang at LSU this season.
OUT: Dean Wade, Keon Ellis, Max Strus, Dennis Schroder (Also 2031 1st round pick & 2032 2nd round Sacramento pick) - Out of draft capital to trade.

This is a all-in attempt to win a NBA World Championship this upcoming season. Only way to assess it.

We've been all-in since the Hunter trade. But at least Watson and Meleek are younger, which might lead to some longer-term sustainability compared to Dennis/Max/Dean who are all approaching or past 30.

[JujitsuFlip]

https://sportando.basketball/en/cleveland-cavaliers-interested-in-signing-khalifa-diop/

Welp, looks like it's happening. After being drafted over 4 years ago, Diop is finally coming over. Just needs to clear a physical and then work out the contract, i assume it won't be a very long deal.

[ijspeelman]

https://sportando.basketball/en/cleveland-cavaliers-interested-in-signing-khalifa-diop/

Welp, looks like it's happening. After being drafted over 4 years ago, Diop is finally coming over. Just needs to clear a physical and then work out the contract, i assume it won't be a very long deal.

It'll be fun to have a young back-up center again. I didn't watch him very closely in any of his summer league stints and his international stats aren't wowing me. Seems like he gets on the o-boards more than most

[JujitsuFlip]

https://sportando.basketball/en/cleveland-cavaliers-interested-in-signing-khalifa-diop/

Welp, looks like it's happening. After being drafted over 4 years ago, Diop is finally coming over. Just needs to clear a physical and then work out the contract, i assume it won't be a very long deal.

It'll be fun to have a young back-up center again. I didn't watch him very closely in any of his summer league stints and his international stats aren't wowing me. Seems like he gets on the o-boards more than most

I've never watched him, outside of maybe a highlight clip 4 years ago.

Looks like he only played one summer league for us. Averaged 4 fouls per game at 17 mpg. Which I recall the discourse was around his foul frequency.

He will probably spend a ton of time with the Charge this season but it feels good to finally start wrapping up the roster since training camp opens soon-ish.

[toooskies]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say Diop will never play a meaningful minute for the Cavs, or else we're in huge trouble.