Cavs mailbag: Donovan Mitchell trade talk, shutting down Kevin Love conversation … again

Welcome back for part two of this month’s Cleveland Cavaliers mailbag. In the first segment, we looked at what the Cavs could learn from Miami’s run to the NBA Finals, why they stuck with coach J.B. Bickerstaff and potential wings Cleveland could target with their midlevel exception.

If you missed part one earlier this week, check it out here. Let’s get into it. As always, thanks to everyone who submitted questions. 

(Editor’s note: Questions have been edited for clarity.)

How will the new CBA impact the Cavs team building vision? Multiple NBA talking heads have mentioned how punitive being above the second apron can be. It feels like the Cavs may be on their way to being above the second apron if Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley are all on max contracts. — Jake D. 

This is a great question and something to keep in mind as the offseason progresses and we look ahead. The second tax apron, when it’s reached, eliminates a team’s taxpayer midlevel exception and gives a team a third two-way contract through cap exception. As The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov explained here, teams above the second apron line — which is set to be $17.5 million above the salary cap — will face harsher taxes beginning with the 2025-26 season. 

This could have multiple implications for the Cavs. Evan Mobley is eligible to sign a max contract extension in the summer of 2024 that would begin with the 2025-26 season. That year, as of right now, the Cavs have Garland, Jarrett Allen and Dean Wade under contract, although Wade’s contract is partially-guaranteed that season. That’s also the season that Donovan Mitchell has a player option that he can pick up — another factor to pay attention to. Both Garland and Mitchell are currently on rookie max extension deals, and teams can only have two players on rookie extensions.

While the Cavs are close to the luxury tax, they aren’t over the line just yet. In his end of season news conference, president of basketball operations Koby Altman touched on this briefly during his end-of-season news conference.

“We’re looking at this thing really far out into the future,” he said. “When you have guys under contract for the length that we do, whether it be Darius Garland and Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen and hopefully Donovan, you’re going to be expensive. And so to start your repeater clock this season has to be worth it because eventually, we will go into the tax, and that starts your clock. And so you’ve got to be strategic on when you go into the tax. But it’s never an issue of whether we or can we; it’s just being strategic when you do.”

Any chance the Cavs consider a roster reconstruction move by trading Mitchell to the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and a few No. 1’s before he bolts in two years? — Andy P. 

This would be a shocking move to me for several reasons. At the end of the season, the Cavs were not considering major roster reconstruction after just one year with Mitchell. Altman said they aren’t planning to make sweeping changes to the roster. There’s also the question to pose of how much does a move like this improve the Cavs? Yes, it adds a talented wing in Bridges, who was known as a 3-and-D guy but it is also now a go-to scorer. On the flip side of that, The Athletic’s Nets beat writer Alex Schiffer reported recently that Brooklyn is not interested in trading Bridges, as he was the return for the Kevin Durant trade. Could that change for a superstar like Mitchell?

Is it time to “re-open the chapter” on Kevin Love’s situation mismanagement? — SH. 

I get that this is a snide question to the column that I wrote last month on Love, but let’s talk about it.

It isn’t time. And there are a few reasons for that. Sure, seeing the success Love has had with the Miami Heat during their playoff run raises questions. But we have to remember that this version of Love was not the same version that was in Cleveland before the buyout.

By the time the All-Star break rolled around, Love had fallen out of the rotation. Even before that, he didn’t have the positive on-court impact he needed to have to keep a spot in the rotation. Love dealt with injuries to his thumb and back that affected him, and he missed 12 total games. Through 41 games in Cleveland last season, Love averaged 8.5 points per game, shooting 38.9 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from 3. In his last 15 games with the Cavs, he shot 30 percent from the field and 24 percent from 3.

Now in Miami, Love’s healthy, which allows him to contribute in a more positive manner. But that’s also nuanced. While Love was re-inserted into the starting lineup for Game 2 of the NBA Finals, he had three straight DNPs before that. Love has been benched at different moments throughout the postseason run and not closed games.

No situation is perfect. But when Love asked for the buyout, betting on himself and believing he could still contribute, the Cavs respected that and made a decision. While Love has found a way to contribute in Miami and been a positive voice in the locker room with his veteran leadership, the Heat are not in the NBA Finals solely because of Love. The Cavs did not lose in the first round to the Knicks strictly because they did not have Love on the roster. There’s no need at this point to continue rehashing this conversation.

With the Cavs firmly in the Bird rights trap with Caris LeVert, what do his new contract numbers/years look like this offseason? — Jeremy H. 

I don’t think calling it a “trap” is the right way to describe it, actually. Bird rights allow teams to go over the salary cap to re-sign their own players.

But let’s look at the books for the 2023-24 season to help paint a picture of what it could look like. The Cavs have about $126 million in salary committed for next season, which includes the $6.7 million non-guaranteed contract of Cedi Osman, the $1.9 million non-guaranteed contracts of both Lamar Stevens and Sam Merrill, according to Spotrac.

However, as I touched on above, there also has to be some forward thinking in this situation. The Cavs have Mobley’s impending eligibility for an extension in 2024 – which would kick in for the 2025-26 season — as well as a player option for Mitchell. In that sense, a two-year deal for LeVert seems fitting leading up to those decisions and when they kick in to their salary-cap situation.

Is Kyle Kuzma a free agent this offseason? — Corey J. 

Kuzma has a player option worth $13 million, according to Spotrac, for the 2023-24 season, He can pick up that option or not. If he declines it, he can become a free agent this summer. 

The Athletic’s John Hollinger recently looked at decisions hanging above a certain number of players before free agency begins in July. He looked at Kuzma and predicted that he would opt out since his salary is almost the price of the midlevel exception that teams can offer ($12.2 million). Kuzma’s decision will be something to pay attention to, as his opt-in deadline is June 21.

If J.B. won’t use Robin Lopez in the playoffs, why not get/keep one he will? He had a couple of young centers two years ago that we didn’t keep but could have used against the Knicks. — Corey J.

It’s an important area to look at heading into next season because the Cavs do lack frontcourt depth. Aside from Mobley and Allen, Wade is the only big on the roster under a guaranteed contract. I recently looked at some bigs Cleveland could potentially target with the MLE in free agency.

The issue with playing Lopez in the playoffs was that it was a liability. During the regular season, the veteran center averaged just three points in 8.1 minutes per game. He shot 64 percent from the field but only grabbed 1.4 rebounds per game. His playing time was also inconsistent. Lopez played in just 37 games during the regular season, starting twice and when he did play, he did not have a major impact on the floor. It could have been a factor in why he wasn’t used in the playoffs.

Cleveland could look to add some depth and find a reliable backup center option this offseason. Lopez, who is coming off a one-year, veteran minimum deal with the Cavs, will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Watching the Knicks series, it felt like the difference between winning and losing wasn’t a magical small forward but the overall quality of the bench vs. what the Knicks were putting out with their second unit. Do you think the team could be better served moving on from some of the converted two-way contract guys and focusing on overall depth vs. trying to land a third, possibly even fourth option at small forward for the offense? — Evan A. 

You’re right. The bench struggled in the playoffs against the Knicks but also throughout points in the regular season. The Cavs entered the playoffs with the lowest-scoring bench among playoff teams this year at 28.7 points per game. They also had the third-least productive bench unit during the regular season.

For the Cavs to find success next season, they have to have an uptick in offensive production from their bench. Focusing on the overall depth of their bench is not a bad option, especially with how the postseason played out.

Hey Kelsey. In the endless search for a viable wing, is Dylan Windler in the consideration at all? And if not, why is he still on the Cavs? — Rodney L.

Windler is a restricted free agent this summer, so when free agency begins, the Cavs have the option to match any offer sheet from another team in order to keep Windler. I think it will be interesting, though, depending on how free agency goes and what options the Cavs have using their midlevel exception to upgrade the position.

Windler has faced a number of struggles throughout his time with the Cavs. He dealt with injuries that led to season-ending surgeries during his first two seasons, as well as other injuries that kept him out of the rotation. Windler has played in just 84 total games over three seasons, and he played in just three games for Cleveland last season.

Even when he played with the Cleveland Charge, the Cavs’ G League affiliate, he didn’t wholly light it up in the G League. During the 11 games he played with the Charge last season, he averaged 12.2 points per game, shooting 52.3 percent from the field and 40.7 percent from 3. Yet, he averaged 4.9 3-point attempts per game.

The Cavs can find depth viable wing depth with the use of the MLE this summer, which could be a better solution.

(Top photo of Donovan Mitchell: Jason Miller / Getty Images)