How Teams Are Using 2018/19 Mid-Level Exceptions

In addition to receiving nearly $102MM in cap room and being allowed to surpass that threshold in order to sign players using Bird Rights or the minimum salary exception, each NBA team also receives a mid-level exception. The value of this exception varies depending on a club’s total team salary.

A team that goes under the cap to use its available cap room, for instance, receives only a modest form of the MLE known as the room exception. An over-the-cap team receives the full mid-level exception, unless that team is also over the tax line, in which case it gets a taxpayer version of the MLE that falls in between the full MLE and the room exception. We detailed the exact values of each form of mid-level exception earlier this offseason, but here’s a quick breakdown:

  • Room exception: Can be used for contracts up to two years, with a starting salary worth up to $4.449MM.
  • Taxpayer mid-level exception: Can be used for contracts up to three years, with a starting salary worth up to $5.337MM.
  • Full mid-level exception: Can be used for contracts up to four years, with a starting salary worth up to $8.641MM.

Now that a majority of the NBA’s teams have used up their cap space, it’s worth keeping an eye on which teams still have part or all of their mid-level exceptions available, which we’ll do in the space below. This list will be kept up to date throughout the 2018/19 league year.

Here’s where things currently stand:


Mid-Level Exception:

Boston Celtics

  • Available: $5,337,000 (taxpayer)
  • Used: $0

Charlotte Hornets

Cleveland Cavaliers

Denver Nuggets

Detroit Pistons

Golden State Warriors

Houston Rockets

Los Angeles Clippers

Memphis Grizzlies

Miami Heat

Milwaukee Bucks

Minnesota Timberwolves

New Orleans Pelicans

New York Knicks

Oklahoma City Thunder

Orlando Magic

Portland Trail Blazers

San Antonio Spurs

Toronto Raptors

  • Available: $5,337,000 (taxpayer)
  • Used: $0

Utah Jazz

  • Available: $8,641,000
  • Used: $0

Washington Wizards


Room Exception:

Atlanta Hawks

  • Available: $99,000
  • Used: $4,350,000 (Alex Len)

Brooklyn Nets

  • Available: $0
  • Used: $4,449,000 (Ed Davis)

Chicago Bulls

  • Available: $4,449,000
  • Used: $0

Dallas Mavericks

  • Available: $4,449,000
  • Used: $0

Indiana Pacers

Los Angeles Lakers

Philadelphia 76ers

  • Available: $4,449,000
  • Used: $0

Phoenix Suns

Sacramento Kings

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and ESPN was used in the creation of this post.

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