In addition to receiving approximately $123.7MM 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 apron, 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 $5,401,000.
- Taxpayer mid-level exception: Can be used for contracts up to three years, with a starting salary worth up to $6,479,000.
- Full/non-taxpayer mid-level exception: Can be used for contracts up to four years, with a starting salary worth up to $10,490,000.
- Note: Though its name suggests otherwise, using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception doesn’t mean a team can’t or won’t be above the tax line ($150,267,000) at season’s end; it simply means the team’s total salary can’t surpass the tax “apron” ($156,983,000).
Now that most 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 2022/23 league year, with new MLE deals added once those signings are officially completed and we confirm the contract details.
Note: As of January 10, the value of the exceptions below will begin to prorate downward.
Here’s where things currently stand:
Mid-Level Exception:
Non-taxpayer: $10,490,000
Taxpayer: $6,479,000
Atlanta Hawks
- Used: $0
Boston Celtics
Used: $6,479,000 (Danilo Gallinari)- Note: Limited to taxpayer mid-level exception.
Brooklyn Nets
- Used: $0
- Note: Limited to taxpayer mid-level exception.
Charlotte Hornets
- Used: $1,075,000 (Bryce McGowens)
Chicago Bulls
- Used: $3,200,000 (Andre Drummond); $357,717 (Carlik Jones)
Cleveland Cavaliers
- Used: $5,853,659 (Ricky Rubio); $2,000,000 (Danny Green); $850,000 (Sam Merrill)
Dallas Mavericks
- Used: $5,461,219 (JaVale McGee); $1,017,781 (Jaden Hardy)
- Note: Limited to taxpayer mid-level exception.
Denver Nuggets
- Used: $6,479,000 (Bruce Brown)
- Note: Limited to taxpayer mid-level exception.
Golden State Warriors
- Used: $4,500,000 (Donte DiVincenzo); $1,017,781 (Ryan Rollins)
- Note: Limited to taxpayer mid-level exception.
Houston Rockets
- Used: $2,717,391 (Bruno Fernando)
Los Angeles Clippers
- Used: $6,479,000 (John Wall)
- Note: Limited to taxpayer mid-level exception.
Los Angeles Lakers
- Used: $6,479,000 (Lonnie Walker)
- Note: Limited to taxpayer mid-level exception.
Memphis Grizzlies
- Used: $1,200,000 (Kennedy Chandler); $1,000,000 (Kenneth Lofton Jr.)
Miami Heat
- Used: $6,479,000 (Caleb Martin)
Milwaukee Bucks
- Used: $6,479,000 (Joe Ingles)
- Note: Limited to taxpayer mid-level exception.
Minnesota Timberwolves
- Used: $8,780,488 (Kyle Anderson); $1,017,781 (Josh Minott)
New Orleans Pelicans
- Used: $0
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Used: $2,000,000 (Jaylin Williams); $1,836,090 (Isaiah Joe); $1,927,896 (Lindy Waters III)
Orlando Magic
- Used: $2,000,000 (Caleb Houstan)
Philadelphia 76ers
- Used: $10,490,000 (P.J. Tucker)
Phoenix Suns
- Used: $474,851 (Ish Wainright)
- Note: Limited to taxpayer mid-level exception.
Portland Trail Blazers
Used: $8,300,000 (Gary Payton II); $1,017,781 (Jabari Walker)
Sacramento Kings
- Used: $9,472,219 (Malik Monk)
Toronto Raptors
- Used: $6,000,000 (Otto Porter Jr.); $1,500,000 (Christian Koloko)
Utah Jazz
- Used: $3,205,128 (Simone Fontecchio); $735,819 (Kris Dunn); $432,795 (Luka Samanic); $100,000 (Vernon Carey Jr.)
Washington Wizards
- Used: $7,804,878 (Delon Wright); $900,000 (Jordan Goodwin); $140,384 (Xavier Cooks)
Room Exception:
Available: $5,401,000
Detroit Pistons
- Used: $269,445 (Eugene Omoruyi)
Indiana Pacers
- Used: $0
New York Knicks
- Used: $300,000 (DaQuan Jeffries) $400,000 (Isaiah Roby)
San Antonio Spurs
- Used: $0
Payton is making 8.3 mill… wow that’s a nice raise for him. I guess playing D does pay off. Other players should take Note.
That is a lot for PJ Tucker, especially at his age.