Mid-Level, Bi-Annual Projections For 2024/25
2023/11/mid-level-bi-annual-projections-for-2024-25.htmlOnce a team uses the standard/non-taxpayer MLE, that team is hard-capped at the first tax apron for the rest of the league year. … The mid-level exception and bi-annual exception are the two key tools that an over-the-cap team typically has at its disposal to sign free agents from other clubs -- or to re-sign one of its own free agents, if the player's Bird rights aren't available or sufficient.
Northwest Notes: Alexander-Walker, KAT, Thunder, Watson
2023/11/northwest-notes-alexander-walker-kat-thunder-watson.html"He was trying too hard, trying to do too much, trying to prove everything, wanted it all at once.”… "We don't want to cap the potential of any of our players." At 9-4, Oklahoma City might be arriving already.
2023/24 NBA Waiver Claims
2023/11/2023-24-nba-waiver-claims.htmlThe Pelicans, whose roster was hit hard by preseason injuries, had an open two-way contract slot and viewed the third-year sharpshooter as the sort of NBA-ready player who could step into a rotation role immediately, so they decided to claim his two-way contract off waivers. … In order to claim a player off waivers, a team generally must be able to fit the player's entire salary into cap room, a traded player exception, or a disabled player exception.
Southwest Notes: Biyombo, Osman, Sengun, Grizzlies
2023/11/southwest-notes-biyombo-osman-sengun-grizzlies.html"He understands how to play, plays with emotion and aggressiveness, works hard at both ends of the court. … Marks also points out Biyombo has a $5MM cap hit (rather than $1.9MM) and the Grizzlies can use his $5MM contract as a trade asset if he remains on the roster after Morant's suspension is lifted.
More Details On James Harden Trade
2023/11/more-details-on-james-harden-trade.htmlThe 76ers could have used the more lenient salary-matching rules for teams below both tax aprons to create a trade exception worth $11MM+, but that would have hard-capped the club at the first apron ($172.3MM) for the rest of 2023/24 -- the route Philadelphia chose won't create a hard cap. … The formal press releases sent out by the Sixers, Clippers, and Thunder following the completion of the James Harden trade earlier today included some new details on the deal.
Harden Trade Notes: TPE, Hard Cap, Sixers’ Next Targets, More
2023/10/harden-trade-notes-tpe-hard-cap-sixers-next-targets-more.htmlGoing the latter route would result in a smaller trade exception ($6.8MM), but would avoid creating a hard cap; the former route would mean a bigger TPE ($11MM) but would leave Philadelphia just $2.8MM below a hard cap. … The size of the traded player exception the Sixers create in their James Harden deal with the Clippers will depend on whether or not they're comfortable being hard-capped at the first tax apron ($172.3MM), notes ESPN's Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
L.A. Notes: Brogdon, Clippers, Westbrook, Wood, LeBron
2023/10/l-a-notes-brogdon-clippers-westbrook-wood-lebron.htmlThe Lakers showed in their second game of the season that they're viewing their 28-to-30-minute plan for LeBron James as more of a loose guideline than a hard cap, as ESPN's Dave McMenamin and Jovan Buha of The Athletic detail. … While the Clippers have been linked for months to James Harden, do they already have the right play-making guard on their roster in Russell Westbrook? Janis Carr of The Orange County Register (subscriber link) and Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times explore that topic, with Hernandez noting that head coach Tyronn Lue said Westbrook has "bought in 100%" to what the team needs from him.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Signs Three-Year Max Extension
2023/10/giannis-antetokounmpo-signing-three-year-extension.html"Milwaukee is where I started my career, it’s our home, it’s where we’re raising our family, and it’s where I’m going to continue to work hard every day to make Bucks fans proud," Giannis said in a statement. … It's only possible if the salary cap increases by the maximum amount (10%) in 2024 and 2025.
Wizards Sign Deni Avdija To Four-Year Extension
2023/10/wizards-deni-avdija-agree-to-four-year-extension.htmlHe has a team-first mentality, works hard on his craft, competes with toughness, and is committed to improving the community," Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said in a statement. … Based on the NBA's latest cap projection for 2024/25 (a 4.4% increase), a full four-year MLE deal next season would be worth $55.69MM.
Why Most Teams Will Finalize Roster Cuts On Saturday
2023/10/why-most-teams-will-finalize-roster-cuts-on-saturday-2.htmlEven that small amount of savings could be important for teams who are right around the tax line or up against a hard cap. … They'll make those cuts on Friday or Saturday and will avoid adding extra cap charges to their books for '23/24.
Community Shootaround: James Harden
2023/10/community-shootaround-james-harden-2.htmlThe drama regarding James Harden remains unresolved. … Morey is intent on protecting his cap space for next offseason.
Southwest Notes: Z. Williams, Adams, Mavs, Vassell
2023/10/southwest-notes-z-williams-adams-mavs-vassell.htmlWhile those accolades may ultimately prove out of reach, he's determined to avoid a repeat of last season, telling reporters that he worked hard this summer and is now stronger and weighs more than at any other time in his playing career. … Devin Vassell isn't a perfect player, but based on the improvements he has made since entering the league and the rising NBA salary cap, he's worth the five-year, $135MM+ contract extension the Spurs signed him to this week, says Sam Vecenie of The Athletic.
Trade Breakdown: Kristaps Porzingis To The Celtics
2023/10/trade-breakdown-kristaps-porzingis-to-the-celtics.htmlIf the Celtics had tried to do a sign-and-trade for Porzingis a couple weeks later, they would have been required to add more money for salary-matching purposes, and that could have been a deal-breaker for Washington (Boston also would have been hard-capped in that scenario, another significant obstacle). … The Celtics added a little over $7MM to their salary cap figure (and far more to their luxury tax bill) by trading for Porzingis, which made going further into the tax to pay Williams less palatable.
Sixers Notes: Embiid, Harden, Tucker, Oubre, Maxey, Green
2023/10/sixers-notes-embiid-harden-tucker-oubre-maxey-green.htmlThe impact that James Harden's standoff with the Sixers might have on star teammate Joel Embiid has been an ongoing subplot this offseason as the Harden saga drags on. … Although he's very much a part of their long-term plans, the Sixers aren't looking to extend Maxey this offseason because they want to maximize their 2024 cap flexibility.
Bucks Acquire Damian Lillard In Three-Team Trade
2023/09/bucks-to-acquire-damian-lillard-in-three-team-trade.html"These opportunities are rare and hard to measure and execute. … As for the Suns, they recognized that a player such as Ayton, who liked to have the ball in his hands, might not be an ideal fit alongside their new big three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, and turned the young center and his $32.5MM cap hit into a series of role players on smaller contracts, including another big man in Nurkic.
Heat Notes: Lillard, Jovic, Martin, Love
2023/09/heat-notes-lillard-jovic-martin-love.html"But I feel like we got the right type of guys who fit that system and that shouldn’t be hard. … If Lillard is sent to Miami, what would the Heat realistically have to give up? One veteran scout who spoke to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald believes that a package of Tyler Herro, three first-round picks, cap filler (likely Kyle Lowry's expiring contract), and one player from the trio of Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez, and Caleb Martin would make sense for both sides.
Hoops Rumors Glossary: Minimum Salary Floor
2023/09/hoops-rumors-glossary-minimum-salary-floor.htmlHowever, because the league has a soft cap rather than a hard cap, there's technically no specific figure that clubs are prohibited from exceeding once they go over the cap to re-sign players. … As long as a team doesn't use certain exceptions or acquire a player via sign-and-trade, that team doesn't face a hard cap.
Teams Limited To Minimum Salary Contract Offers
2023/09/teams-limited-to-minimum-salary-contract-offers.htmlThe Celtics and Bucks may be able to start the season with team salaries below the second apron, but from a practical standpoint, it will be extremely difficult for them to make use of the taxpayer mid-level exception, which would hard-cap them at that second apron. … In 2023/24, the second apron is set at $182,794,000 ($17.5MM above the tax line) -- it will increase along with the cap in future years.
Hoops Rumors’ Lists, Trackers, Features
2023/09/hoops-rumors-lists-trackers-features-3.htmlWe have info on how teams are using mid-level and bi-annual exceptions in 2023/24, as well as which clubs are hard-capped and which have open roster spots. … We have a number of features related to NBA trades, including a roundup of this offseason's deals, a recap of the trade exceptions currently available to teams, lists of the players who can't be traded until December 15 or January 15, and details on which players can veto trades in 2023/24.
Salary-Matching Rules For Trades During 2023/24 Season
2023/09/salary-matching-rules-for-trades-during-2023-24-season.htmlIt's worth noting that a team below both tax aprons which takes back more than 110% of its outgoing salary in a trade prior to the 2024 trade deadline will effectively hard-cap itself at the first tax apron during the 2023/24 season. … If Oklahoma City wanted to trade Victor Oladipo, whose cap hit is $9,450,000, they'd be able to take back up to $16,950,000 (his salary, plus $7.5MM).
Atlantic Notes: Giles, Adams, Knicks Roster, Hart, Quickley
2023/09/atlantic-notes-giles-adams-knicks-roster-hart-quickley.htmlWhile the Knicks have just 14 players on standard contracts and room under their hard cap of $172.34MM to add a 15th, Begley doesn't see New York signing another rotation-level player.
Lonzo Ball: “I’m Going To Play Again”
2023/08/lonzo-ball-im-going-to-play-again.htmlThe team can't exceed its $172.3MM hard cap.
Bulls GM Says Keeping Nikola Vucevic Was “No. 1 Goal”
2023/08/bulls-gm-says-keeping-nikola-vucevic-was-no-1-goal.htmlBut we’ve seen him in the Advocate Center and how hard he has worked from the end of the season…… They added Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig as well to cap off a productive free agent session.
New York Notes: Knicks Future, Hart, Quickley, Nets Picks
2023/08/new-york-notes-knicks-future-hart-quickley-nets-picks.htmlThe Knicks are hard-capped at the first tax apron this season, meaning they can't spend more than a total of roughly $172MM in team salary. … Begley notes that while Hart's $81MM of total salary appears large, it won't account for more than 14% of the team's salary cap in any year of his deal, which Begley argues is fair value for a starting-level rotation piece.
Anthony Davis Signs Three-Year Extension With Lakers
2023/08/lakers-anthony-davis-agree-to-three-year-extension.htmlIt's possible that accepting an extension now will cost him a little money in the long run, but for a player who has battled injuries throughout his career, it's hard to argue with the decision. … Davis will earn a starting salary worth 35% of the salary cap in 2025/26, with subsequent 8% annual raises.