How much does Cleveland Cavaliers team owner Dan Gilbert want a National Basketball Association (NBA) title? To what extent will he go to get one?
From the looks of it, at all cost.
Such seems to be the obvious case, seeing the Cavaliers potentially spending a record $175.6 million in player salaries along this NBA season. The amount is no surprising, considering the way the team has been spending on salaries.
LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love are just some of the high-priced players who are, apparently, deserving of such. But how about the rest? Is it wise to invest in them, seeing that the remaining cast are technically the support group?
Right now, it seems Gilbert doesn't mind. However, all that could change if the Cavs fail to win the NBA title this season.
Nothing less than an NBA title is in the minds of Gilbert and Cavs management. Anything less than that is obviously inexcusable.
With the record-setting payroll amount, the Cavs will now have the honor of placing second to the 2013–14 Brooklyn Nets who spent a hefty $197 million in salaries. And everyone knows that the Nets' plan didn't pan out exactly as expected and hopefully, such will not be the case for the Cavs.
Gilbert did stress that the huge investment is the right way to go, although like any other businessman, results are vital. It remains to be seen up to when Gilbert will maintain this level of pay, and a lot of it will certainly hinge on how the team performs.
With the big three of James, Love, and Irving back, plus the core of supporting cast back from last year, the marginal chance of error for the Cavs is pretty slim. The only thing that could stop the Cavs from winning the NBA title are perhaps injuries to key players, a concern that the Cavs intend to manage closely throughout the regular season.
Outside of that, failing to land the NBA title at this point seems unacceptable.
