Ranking Every Cavs Contract From Best to Worst

The Cleveland Cavaliers are hoping to chase a championship in the coming season. As they do, they’ll need to get everybody to come together and get on the same page.

With that in mind, let’s rank the team’s 13 contracts as far as value goes.

Bottom To Top Order, 13-6

Right at the bottom is Evan Mobley. WIth four years and $222 million guaranteed, he is quite expensive. The team does know what they are paying for, though. He is a two-way standout that changes games with his size and his length. The 3PT shot is getting better and he projects to be a star. But it’s the most expensive deals that would be considered the most inefficient, of course.

In at the #12 spot is the team’s superstar, Donovan Mitchell. He has proven time and again to be an MVP-caliber player in this league. But his new deal is paying him close to $70 million a season, so it’s just a very large chunk of the payroll. He will continue to tear it up on the floor for Cleveland, but his ranking, because of the Benjamin’s, is right near the bottom too. As it stands now, Mitchell will make $247 million over the next four campaigns, with an option for 2030-31.

Coming in hot at #11 is rookie, 2022 2RP Khalifa Diop. The only reason for him being so down is that they couldn’t land anybody experienced because they tossed the bag to him instead. One year and $1.37 million with the rest not guaranteed until after the campaign, it could be worse. He’s certainly cheap, but the question will be what his on-court impact will be while occupying a roster spot at a position of need for the team.

Craig Porter Jr. slots in at #10, set to make $2.4 million this year. It’s certainly a bargain for a guy that has done what has been asked of him for three straight years and still has not gotten consistent playing time. Unfortunately, it may be all the same for him again, but he could come in as a change-of-pace guard that could get the offense going. He remains one of the best passers on the team.

Hello, Nae’Qwan Tomlin! #9 is the energizer bunny on this bench. He is also making $2.4 million this year and will be a free agent at season’s end. Tomlin has improved over every offseason since joining Cleveland and should have some chances to continue to be a difference-maker in his third go-round here.

Coming in at #8, on a fairly priced deal actually, is James Harden. Because there are so many value deals at the top for this squad, he can’t rank too much higher. The Beard was nice enough to wait before signing a three-year $97 million deal so they could avoid the aprons. He is 37 years of age, and it could be risky to pay someone over $30 million in their age 39 season in 2028-29. For now, he projects as a guy that will help run the offense and use veteran leadership to try and guide this team to the promised land.

At #7 is the second-year man Tyrese Proctor. His only current guarantee is for this next season, at a $2.1 million clip. There are options for the two years that will be following. He proved himself as a solid shot-maker both at Duke and then during his rookie year with the Cavs. His role is not set in stone, but he should see plenty of opportunities at the guard spot. Great value for a late second-round pick that has looked sharp.

Set to make $90 million over the next three seasons, Jarrett Allen occupies the sixth spot. He does so much for this team on both ends of the floor, and it feels like on the open market, a deal that happened right now elsewhere could be for even more money. He’s spent 5.5 seasons with this franchise and always kept his head up and been a leader. Save for the “Lights Were Too Bright” comments back in the 2023 1st round, he has won so many contests for this franchise. Shoutout to the Fro.

The Top 5 Value Deals

Coming in hot at No. 5 is Meleek Thomas. The #34 overall pick at Arkansas already seems to be worth his weight in gold. He dominated the Summer League, and has aspirations to be a big-time NBA player. He should get plenty of chances to show that he can be right off the bat, with his size at the guard spot making him a very intriguing option. He will make $6.3 million over three years, an extremely affordable first deal.

Mario Hezonja gets the spot at #4. The most pleasant surprise on this team so far, everything about him makes him likable. His play on the floor shows the makings of a guy that has truly dominated in Europe for a long time. He’s proven to be a relatable person that’s trying to be a sponge for the Cavs. His guarantee date is a month away and it seems all but certain he’ll see all $2.4 million. He deserves the spot.

Mario Hezonja (@mariohezonja), con los @Cavs, en el Carpena 🤪🔥 pic.twitter.com/wg68Ebi8xS
— NBASpain (@NBAspain) October 6, 2026

Peyton Watson signed a 4-year, $88 million deal after being acquired by Cleveland, though the last year isn’t fully guaranteed. He has $62 million over the next three seasons for certain, with an option for year four. A player that’s about to break out and can dominate both ends of the floor, this feels like an absolute steal for the team. Look for the newest addition to absolutely tear it up. Could very well look like a $35-$40 mil a year player at some point, so getting this value now is genuinely incredible.

In at #2 we have Jaylon Tyson. There is a team option for next season, so he’s only due to make $3.6 mil this coming campaign, and that’s fresh off a year where he was one of the NBA’s most improved players. Nights like the one he had against the Sixers showed what kind of work he could handle for this team. He’ll be one of the first off the bench every game.

And the top spot, without a doubt, goes to Sam Merrill. A four-year $39 million deal feels like an actual steal considering how much he’s continued to improve. They went 37-15 with him in the lineup last year and he has remained one of the most impactful shooters in the entire NBA. He gets open when they need to, takes charges on the biggest guys, and says he’ll play “Any position they ask me to.” The ultimate team-first player that seems to be adding new skills every offseason, it’s no wonder they gave this guy $ instead of to Ty Jerome. They didn’t need another offensively talented floor general. They needed a glue guy. And that’s who they paid.

Thank You For Reading

A full breakdown of the Cavs contracts has been completed. Thank you all for reading. Just a note, this only includes guaranteed money and excludes two-way guys. The full list of team salaries can be found by clicking here.

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