Trade imminent? The Cavaliers' owner is highly displeased with 8 losses in the last 11 games, despite paying a luxury tax of $164 million, still leading the league.

According to Cleveland.com reporter Chris Fedor on December 21st Beijing time, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert is "extremely unhappy" with the team's performance this season, particularly over the recent weeks where they lost 8 of 11 games.

The Cavaliers have endured three consecutive defeats, losing to the Hornets and the Bulls twice. Looking back further, the team barely edged out the struggling Wizards last week and was defeated at home on December 7th by a Warriors squad missing all their key players.

Fedor stated: "Two well-informed sources closely connected to the team disclosed that Dan Gilbert is deeply frustrated with the current state of the team.When he turns on the TV to watch games, he hears overwhelming boos — four out of the last five home games have been met with heavy booing.He sees the team falling behind by double digits again, and even when they led in the second half, they ultimately failed to hold onto the win."

Fedor continued: "At the same time, he is paying a massive luxury tax.The Cavaliers have the highest payroll in the league and are currently the only team to exceed the second luxury tax threshold.As long as he believes this team has championship potential and has confidence in the roster, he is willing to pay the luxury tax. But now that the season has progressed, the situation is very different... After 29 games, with such a record, as the owner in charge of the entire team, doubt inevitably starts to creep in."

As Fedor mentioned, the Cavaliers' payroll has surpassed the second luxury tax threshold, which will limit the team's flexibility in roster moves in the coming weeks.According to salary tracking site Spotrac, the Cavaliers' luxury tax this season is projected to reach $164 million.

In the 2024-25 season, the Cavaliers achieved a 64-18 record, topping the Eastern Conference and ranking second in the league, but were ultimately eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Pacers. During the offseason, the team largely retained its core roster, aiming to pursue higher playoff goals this season.

However, with about 35% of the season completed, the team's performance has fallen far short of expectations. Key players have been plagued by injuries, and the team's play is a stark contrast to last season, currently standing at 15-14 and ranked eighth in the East.

Fedor noted that the Cavaliers' management has been trying to ease Gilbert’s concerns, assuring that Strus, Merrill, and Mobley will eventually return from injury. Nevertheless,Fedor believes that Gilbert has recently become more involved in the team's basketball operations, which could impact decisions before the trade deadline.Previous reports have already linked Garland, Allen, and others to multiple trade rumors.