NBA
NBA AM: Free Agency – Who Still Has Spending Power?
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
The NBA will soon announce the salary cap for the 2015-16 season. The exact figures aren’t likely to be available until late Wednesday, right before the signing period begins on July 9th.
In the meantime, the league’s most recent projection is $67.1 million, although a cbssports.com report suggested that number could climb to $69.1 million.
Teams that go under the cap gain a $2.8 million room exception (RE), but lose their mid-level (MLE) of $5.5 million, bi-annual (BAE) of $2.1 million and any trade (TPE) exceptions.
The luxury tax threshold projects to be $81.7 million, with the hard cap at $85.7 million — only triggered when a team uses their MLE, BAE or acquires a player via sign and trade.
Tax teams can spend the taxpayer mid-level exception (MMLE) of $3.4 million, not the full MLE or BAE.
The following is a projection of what spending power each team has remaining after the recent flurry of verbal deals.
Note that until contracts are officially signed, spending power can be fluid. For instance, the Boston Celtics need to drop under the cap to afford Amir Johnson at $12 million, but if they can get the Toronto Raptors to send Johnson to them via sign and trade, using their Rajon Rondo trade exception, the Celtics can stay above the cap which would preserve their Mid-Level Exception and other trade exceptions.
All figures are in the millions unless otherwise indicated:
| Team | Cap Room | Exceptions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Trail Blazers | Up to $28.7 | $2.8 (RE) | |
| Philadelphia 76ers | Up to $18.5 | $2.8 (RE) | |
| Utah Jazz | $9.1-$16.6 | $2.8 (RE) | Part of the room exception may be for Joe Ingles. To maximize space, the Jazz would have to cut Trevor Booker |
| Orlando Magic | Up to $13.3 | $2.8 (RE) | |
| Boston Celtics | $4.6-13.2 | $2.8 (RE) | To get to $13.2 million, the Celtics need to stretch Gerald Wallace |
| Indiana Pacers | Up to $10.1 | $2.8 (RE) | |
| Denver Nuggets | $0-$9.8 | $2.8 (RE), or if over the cap, $5.5 (MLE), $2.1 (BAE) | Biggest trade exception is $11.3 million. Denver is over the cap but could choose to go under by renouncing/waiving players and exceptions |
| Phoenix Suns | Up to $8.4 | $2.8 (RE) | |
| Milwaukee Bucks | $4.7 | $2.8 (RE) | |
| Detroit Pistons | $4.6 | $2.8 (RE) | |
| Sacramento Kings | $1.3-$2.4 | $0 | Room exception likely tabbed for Omri Casspi |
| Toronto Raptors | Up to $1.6 million | $0 | May be over the cap, depending on exact figures for new contracts |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | $0 | $5.5 (MLE), $2.1 (BAE) | Biggest trade exception $2.8 million. If the Thunder's payroll climbs into the tax, no MLE or BAE but the $3.4 million MMLE |
| Charlotte Hornets | $0 | $5.5 (MLE), $2.1 (BAE) | Biggest trade exception is $646k |
| Miami HEAT | $0 | $5.5 (MLE), $2.1 (BAE) | |
| Washington Wizards | $0 | $5.5 (MLE) | Biggest trade exception $4.6 million |
| Houston Rockets | $0 | $5.5 (MLE) | Biggest trade exception is $1.6 million |
| Chicago Bulls | $0 | $3.4 (MMLE) | |
| Atlanta Hawks | $0 | $2.8 (RE) | |
| New York Knicks | $0 | $2.8 (RE) | |
| San Antonio Spurs | $0 | $2.8 (RE) | |
| New Orleans Pelicans | $0 | $2.6 (MLE), $2.1 (BAE) | Trade exception of $507k |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | $0 | $1.7 (MLE), $2.1 (BAE) | Biggest trade exception $6.3 million |
| Los Angeles Clippers | $0 | $2.1 (MLE) | Trade exception of $915k |
| Brooklyn Nets | $0 | $1.9 (MMLE) | Biggest trade exception is $3.3 million |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | $0 | $1.2 (MMLE) | Biggest trade exception is $636k |
| Memphis Grizzlies | $0 | $0 (MMLE) | Biggest trade exception is $968k |
| Golden State Warriors | $0 | $876K (MMLE) | |
| Dallas Mavericks | $0 | $0 | Dallas might be able to open cap space by parting ways with Raymond Felton via trade or stretch |
| Los Angeles Lakers | $0 | $0 | If the Lakers open up cap room via trade for Brandon Bass, they may preserve their $2.8 room exception |
