Cavaliers Must Make Crucial Decision On Key Player

The Cleveland Cavaliers have a rather significant roster decision on the horizon.

Nov 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert (3) controls the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers in the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers have gotten off to a historic start and are looking more and more like legitimate championship contenders.

But that does not mean the team doesn't have any major decisions to make.

The Cavaliers have a very tight financial situation thanks to handing out new contract extensions to Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen over the summer, and Darius Garland is also on a max deal.

As a result, Cleveland doesn't have a whole lot of room.

Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus listed each NBA team's most significant looming contract decision, and for the Cavs, he listed impending free agent Caris LeVert.

"While the Cavaliers could look to retain him at a price near the NTMLE ($14.1 million), the team projects to be above the first apron without him at nearly $202 million in payroll," Pincus wrote. "LeVert would push the team over the second apron unless Cleveland can find a taker for Georges Niang (whose deal expires after 2024-25 at $8.2 million)."

LeVert may very well secure a rather lucrative multi-year deal for a club in need of a microwave bench scorer in the offseason, so the chances of the Cavaliers retaining him seem rather slim.

The 30-year-old is averaging 11.5 points per game on 53.4/45.0/71.4 shooting splits this season, which is certainly impressive.

However, LeVert is absolutely replaceable, as he has never been an efficient scorer (career true-shooting percentage of 53 percent) and is not an incredible reliable long-distance sniper.

LeVert is making $16.6 million this season.