• Loading stock data...
Saturday, August 2, 2025
Tuned In returns to NYC on September 16. Hear from the biggest names in sports media. Click here to get your spot

Thunder, Cavs Are NBA Title Contenders on a Budget—for Now

The Thunder and Cavaliers are the No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences and are in the bottom half of playoff teams in payroll.

Jan 8, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

In a sports landscape filled with record contracts, some NBA teams are showing it’s possible to build a championship contender without breaking the bank.

The NBA playoffs tip off Saturday, and the Thunder and Cavaliers, the No. 1 seeds in the Western and Eastern conferences, respectively, are among the bottom half of the playoff teams in terms of payroll, according to data from Spotrac. Neither team had to pay tax penalties this season.

The Timberwolves lead the list by nearly $50 million over the second-place Celtics (the Suns would be ahead of Minnesota, but they missed the postseason). Boston, however, is expected to have a record payroll next year of about $500 million—more than half of which will come from tax penalties.

Of the 14 confirmed playoff teams, 10 have multiple players signed to max contracts. The only teams that do not are the Clippers, Thunder, Magic, and Pistons. The last three are in the bottom five of the entire NBA.

Detroit, the No. 6 seed in the East, has the lowest payroll among all NBA teams at $141.6 million—about $9 million less than No. 29 Orlando. The Pistons even had to sign an additional player in December to be able to hit the NBA’s minimum salary floor

Time to Pay Up

Oklahoma City, the favorite to win the NBA championship per FanDuel, has a payroll of $165.6 million, third-to-last among playoff teams. Its roster construction has been the envy of the NBA as GM Sam Presti built a team around a max player (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander), several young pieces still on rookie-scale contracts (Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace), and veteran players on manageable deals (Isaiah Hartenstein, Lu Dort, Alex Caruso).

However, the bill may soon be due, as many of their stars are expected to sign rookie extensions in the coming years. Holmgren and Williams are both eligible for extensions this summer and will likely command max contracts. Gilgeous-Alexander, the MVP favorite, will be eligible for a supermax contract this summer that would be worth close to $300 million over four years. 

Cleveland, on the other hand, is already preparing to take a hit. The Cavaliers are projected to jump to the third-highest payroll next year and will be a luxury-tax violator. The culprits are the three-year, $150.3 million extension for Donovan Mitchell and the five-year, $224.2 million extension for Evan Mobley, both of which kick in next season.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Coco Gauff at New York Liberty

How the New York Liberty Became the Hottest Ticket in Town

Once banished to the burbs, the Libs are now Brooklyn’s marquee attraction.
Leo Messi
exclusive

MLS Commissioner Don Garber Defends Messi Suspension

Messi was punished for skipping the MLS All-Star Game.

Commanders Seal Stadium Deal As D.C. Approves $1.1B in Funding

The NFL team’s return to its prior home receives key political support.
Feb 20, 2011; Calgary, AB, Canada; Canadian hockey fans wave a flag and display a banner before the Heritage Classic between the Montreal Canadiens and the Calgary Flames at McMahon Stadium. The Flames beat the Canadiens 4-0

Where Does Hockey Go After the Hockey Canada Verdict?

After the sexual assault trial, hockey is split over the path forward.

Featured Today

Las Vegas sign

College Sports Embracing Vegas After Years of Cold Shoulder

The Big Ten became the latest newcomer to Sin City.
2000, Jupiter, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Montreal Expos pitcher Hideki Irabu in action on the mound against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Stadium during Spring Training
July 28, 2025

Dead Sports Franchises Are Alive and Well on Twitter

The Expos, Sonics, and Whalers have active social media accounts.
Limited Hype
July 27, 2025

Sneaker Reselling Was Once Easy Money. Success Is Now Complicated

Vendors need to evolve what they’re selling and how they do it.
HAPPY GILMORE 2. BTS - (L to R) Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore and Rory McIlroy as himself on the set of Happy Gilmore2.
July 26, 2025

‘Cool As Hell’: How ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Hooked Golf’s Top Stars

The process was “cool as hell,” Adam Sandler tells FOS.

Cubs Land 2027 MLB All-Star Game After Lengthy Pursuit

MLB will bring the Midsummer Classic to one of baseball’s cherished ballparks.
Michael Johnson
exclusive
July 31, 2025

Grand Slam Track Misses Deadline to Pay Athletes $3 Million

The league said it would pay athletes for their Kingston meet Thursday.
August 1, 2025

Ex-NBPA Chief on WNBA CBA Challenges, NBA Stake in League

Tamika Tremaglio was a consultant for the 2020 WNBA CBA.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
Jul 26, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa (4) walks to the dugout after the ninth inning against the Washington Nationals at Target Field.
July 31, 2025

MLB’s Biggest Buyers in Frantic Deadline Weren’t Top Markets

Teams besides the Dodgers, Mets, and Yankees dominate MLB’s trade deadline.
Happy Gilmore 2
July 31, 2025

Is ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Really About LIV vs. PGA Tour?

The movie’s main plotline may sound familiar to many golf fans.
Bristol Motor Speedway
July 31, 2025

MLB’s Long Road to Its Most Unusual Game Yet

The special-event game features a unique blending of baseball and racing.
July 31, 2025

NFL Preseason Getting Earliest Kickoff in 25 Years

The Lions and Chargers face off in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.