The Cavaliers are considering cutting and 'stretching' Cam Whitmore to make room for James Harden

The Cleveland Cavaliers still have work to do to finalize their roster. According to journalist Chris Fedor from Cleveland.com, the Ohio franchise is considering a move that would allow it to ease its salary situation after the renewal of James Harden.

“There’s another move coming for the Cavs at some point because they are above the first apron after the sign-and-trade they did with Denver for Watson,” Fedor explained. The journalist added that Harden's starting salary on his new contract will be around $30.5 million.

The arrival of the veteran shooting guard has forced Cleveland to make additional moves to comply with the restrictions of the NBA collective bargaining agreement. The team is restricted by the first apron, which significantly reduces its room to maneuver in adding or retaining players.

The Cavaliers are considering cutting Cam Whitmore

One of the possibilities that have been raised internally is to cut Cam Whitmore and subsequently apply the so-called waive and stretch formula. Fedor claims that the Cavaliers have already had discussions about this possibility.

“I’ve been told that the Cavs have had conversations about the possibility of waiving and stretching Cam Whitmore,” the journalist stated.

Whitmore came to Cleveland as part of a massive five-team trade that also involved several teams and players. The move allowed the Cavaliers to acquire the young player but, above all, to benefit from his salary situation.

The trade also included Trey Mann, who ended up with the Washington Wizards, and Dennis Schröder, who was sent to the Charlotte Hornets. For Cleveland, Whitmore and the salary savings associated with his contract were one of the pieces of the deal.

A solution to balance the books

The option to cut and stretch Whitmore's contract would allow Cleveland to reduce its immediate salary impact, although it would spread the amounts remaining on his contract over several seasons. Thus, it is a tool aimed at alleviating the current salary space problem.

The situation is directly related to the addition of Harden. The new Cavaliers player will have a starting salary of approximately $30.5 million, a figure that significantly affects the economic structure of the roster.

Fedor made it clear that the operation with Whitmore is not yet decided. “They have had internal discussions about the possibility of waiving and stretching Whitmore and not having him on this roster,” he explained.

Harden forces Cleveland to make a move

The arrival of Harden represents a significant sports gamble for the Cavaliers but also creates a complicated financial scenario. Cleveland needs to adjust its roster to stay within the restrictions of the first apron and avoid issues when completing its roster.

Therefore, Whitmore's future could be up in the air despite having recently joined the franchise. The young player could become the sacrificed piece so the Cavaliers can absorb the financial impact of Harden and finish building a competitive roster.

For now, this is only a possibility that the franchise is studying. However, Fedor's comments suggest that Cleveland will still need to make at least one more move before finalizing its offseason.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los Cavaliers estudian cortar y ‘estirar’ a Cam Whitmore para hacer hueco a James Harden