How Teams Are Using 2025/26 Mid-Level Exceptions

In addition to receiving more than $154MM 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 a 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 first tax apron ($195,945,000), in which case it gets a modest “taxpayer” version of the MLE. A team whose salary is over the second tax apron ($207,824,000) isn’t permitted to use its mid-level at all.

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 three years, with a starting salary worth up to $8,781,000.
• Full/non-taxpayer mid-level exception: Can be used for contracts up to four years, with a starting salary worth up to $14,104,000.
  • 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 luxury tax line ($187,895,000) at season’s end; it simply means the team’s total salary can’t surpass the first tax apron ($195,945,000).
• Taxpayer mid-level exception: Can be used for contracts up to two years, with a starting salary worth up to $5,685,000.

Now that most of the NBA’s teams have used up their cap space, it’s worth keeping an eye on which clubs 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 2025/26 league year, with new MLE deals added once those signings (or trades) are officially completed and we confirm the contract details.

Note: After the 2026 trade deadline, the value of the exceptions below will begin to prorate downward.

Here’s where things currently stand:

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Mid-Level Exception:

Non-taxpayer: $14,104,000
Taxpayer: $5,685,000

Teams marked with an asterisk (*) technically have access to the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception but aren’t currently in position to use the entire thing without surpassing the first tax apron.

Atlanta Hawks

• Used: $11,000,000 (Luke Kennard)

Boston Celtics

• Used: $0

Charlotte Hornets

• Used: $6,670,882 (Ousmane Dieng); $7,000,000 (Tyus Jones)

Note: Dieng and Jones were acquired in trades.

Chicago Bulls

• Used: $10,107,163 (Jaden Ivey)

Note: Ivey was acquired via trade.

Cleveland Cavaliers

• Used: $0
• The Cavaliers are operating above the second apron and don’t currently have access to a mid-level exception.

Dallas Mavericks

• Used: $5,685,000 (D’Angelo Russell)

Denver Nuggets

• Used: $0 *
  

Detroit Pistons

• Used: $14,104,000 (Caris LeVert)

Golden State Warriors

• Used: $5,685,000 (Al Horford)
  
• The Warriors are operating above the first apron and can’t currently use more than the taxpayer portion of the MLE.

Houston Rockets

• Used: $12,700,000 (Dorian Finney-Smith)

Indiana Pacers

• Used: $2,654,880 (Kobe Brown); $601,553 (Quenton Jackson)

Note: Brown was acquired in a trade.

Los Angeles Clippers

• Used: $8,750,000 (Brook Lopez); $5,354,000 (Bradley Beal)

Los Angeles Lakers

• Used: $8,104,000 (Deandre Ayton); $6,000,000 (Jake LaRavia)

Miami Heat

• Used: $395,029 (Myron Gardner)

Minnesota Timberwolves

• Used: $0

New Orleans Pelicans

• Used: $8,000,000 (Kevon Looney); $724,598 (Bryce McGowens)

New York Knicks

• Used: $5,500,000 (Guerschon Yabusele)
• The Knicks are operating above the first apron and can’t currently use more than the taxpayer portion of the MLE.

Oklahoma City Thunder

• Used: $0 *

Orlando Magic

• Used: $7,000,000 (Tyus Jones)

Philadelphia 76ers

• Used: $3,415,000 (Dominick Barlow); $125,931 (Dalen Terry)

Phoenix Suns

• Used: $0 *

Portland Trail Blazers

• Used: $14,104,000 (Damian Lillard)

Sacramento Kings

• Used: $871,000 (Dylan Cardwell)

San Antonio Spurs

• Used: $11,000,000 (Luke Kornet)

Toronto Raptors

• Used: $2,221,677 (Trayce Jackson-Davis)

Note: Jackson-Davis was acquired via trade.

Utah Jazz

• Used: $9,219,512 (Kyle Anderson)

Note: Anderson was acquired via trade.

Washington Wizards

• Used: $5,685,000 (D’Angelo Russell); $2,857,143 (Tristan Vukcevic); $1,131,970 (Jamir Watkins)

Note: Russell was acquired via trade.

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Room Exception:

Available: $8,781,000

Brooklyn Nets

• Used: $0

Memphis Grizzlies

• Used: $8,781,000 (Ty Jerome)

Milwaukee Bucks

• Used: $5,134,000 (Kevin Porter Jr.); $600,000 (Pete Nance)