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Does Dan Gilbert Really Have To Pay More Into The Luxury Tax To Make The Cleveland Cavaliers Better?

By Nick Dudukovich

Jan 8, 2017; Detroit, MI, USA; Dan Gilbert, owner of Quicken Loans and the Cleveland Cavaliers, speaks with Bloomberg reporter Betty Liu at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit. Mandatory credit: Elaine Cromie/Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK
Jan 8, 2017; Detroit, MI, USA; Dan Gilbert, owner of Quicken Loans and the Cleveland Cavaliers, speaks with Bloomberg reporter Betty Liu at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit. Mandatory credit: Elaine Cromie/Detroit Free Press via USA TODAY NETWORK /
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It’s been reported that Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert isn’t happy with LeBron James’ recent comments about the franchise.

Does Dan Gilber really have to pay more into the luxury tax to make the Cleveland Cavaliers?

If it’s true that he told LeBron James that he would spend unconditionally to upgrade the roster, then yes, yes he does.

The Cavs are nothing with out James. It’s that simple. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, LeBron agreed to return to the Cavs if Gilbert would spend. Few forget that part of James’ frustration with Miami during his final season with the Heat was owner Mickey Arison’s decision to clamp down on the luxury tax as his team was vying for a third-straight title.

If LeBron was coming “Home,” he didn’t want Gilbert to be cheap–and the Quicken Loans founder has been anything but, spending more money than any other NBA team over the last seasons.

Gilbert paid $82 million in salaries and $7 million in luxury tax in 2014-15. Last season, Gilbert paid $107 million in salaries and $54 million in luxury tax. Currently, the Cavs are committed to $127.6 million and $27 million in luxury taxes for this season.

LeBron’s gone uber-diva the past week. The Cavs are floundering in January, and that’s given him a chance to whine and moan about the roster because he knows what it will take to beat Golden State, or San Antonio this June.

He’s reportedly angered Gilbert with a series of recent tweets.

“James followed that up, saying he was not upset at management in a series of tweets: ‘I not mad or upset at management ’cause (general manager David Griffin) and staff have done a great job…I just feel we still need to improve in order to repeat…if that’s what we wanna do,'” Windhorst wrote.

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These comments angered Gilbert, according to one of Windy’s sources, “Because James appeared to imply it was an organizational choice whether to improve or not. This was seen by some as a reference to further spending,” he wrote.

LeBron’s angry. Dan’s angry.

The heck with both of ’em. You know who you should really feel bad for? GM David Griffin, who is in the final year of his contract. It’s not being reported heavily, but Griffin was not extended after the Cavs won the title.

Now he’s got to find a way, with limited assets, to make the Cavs better.

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