New York (AFP) - The champion Cleveland Cavaliers will pay a league-high $54 million luxury tax for last season for going over salary cap limits on their title-team payroll, ESPN said Sunday.
Owner Dan Gilbert will have to send the league a check for salary overruns in the championship season that brought Cleveland its first sports champion since 1964.
Seven teams in all exceeded the $84.7 million tax threshold for last season, the Cavaliers most of all, with a whopping $160 million payroll, Cleveland.com reported.
The Clippers owe $19.9 million in luxury tax, followed by Golden State at $14.