Cavaliers to pay $54 million in luxury taxes

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ world title came with a very expensive bill.

Per ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Cavs will have to pay $54 million in luxury tax for this past season. That total is by far the highest in the NBA.

LooThe team with the second highest tax bill was the Los Angeles Clippers at $19.9 million. The other tax teams are the Golden State Warriors ($14.8 million), the Oklahoma City Thunder ($14.8 million), the San Antonio Spurs ($4.9 million), the Houston Rockets ($4.9 million) and the Chicago Bulls ($4.2 million).

The Cavs surely knew this bill was coming - their salary was the league’s highest this year by far - and Gilbert hasn’t hesitated to spend money over the past two season since LeBron James returned. Looking ahead to next season, the Cavs are already close to the tax with a still incomplete roster.

In truth, the tax bill is a product of how the Cavs have built their team in the past two seasons. The only team to ever spend more than than Cleveland in luxury taxes are the 2013-14 Brooklyn Nets, who spent $90.57 million. Such is the price to win a title.