1. Bron 47.61m
2. AD 40.6m
3. DLo 17.31m
4. Rui 15.74m
5. Reaves 12.02m
6. Gabe 10.5m
7. Vando 4.7m
8. Prince 4.52m
9. JHS 3.7m
10. Wood 2.71m
11. Cam 2.17m
12. Hayes 2.17m
13. MaxC 1.72m
14. MLewis 1.12m
15. Dimwiddie 1.56m (prorated amount of remaining 1.9m MLE)
•Two-way: Castleton, Mays, Giles III (signed 3/1) $0
= 168.1m in team salary; ~3.4m in wiggle from 1st Apron hardcap
= 7.05m in associated repeater taxes; ~2.8m in breach of luxury tax _________________ Not familiar with the salary cap/CBA rules & how it impacts our Lakers?
#GetFamiliar by CLICKING HERE!
As of the beginning of April, the 2024/25 salary cap has reflected no change from previous projections given last on January 30th 2024…
Quote:
Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
NBA has shared salary cap projections with teams for 2024-2025 season, sources tell ESPN. Projections are unchanged from January.
Salary Cap: $141 million
Minimum team salary: $127M
Tax Level: $172M
First Apron: $179M
Second Apron: $190M
…so it appears that these projections are based off a 3.68% increase to the salary cap from this season & won’t deviate much, if at all, when the offseason hits. Recall the max the salary cap can climb to is 10% annually, which would bring it to 149.6m.
However, till that becomes the case, the current 3.68% increase towards the cap will have the projections towards summer spending looking as such…
Quote:
Salary Cap: 141m
90% Cap Floor: 127m
Luxury Tax threshold: 172m
1st Apron: 179m
2nd Apron: 190m
Tax-Payer MLE: 5.18m for up to 2yrs
-using it triggers 2nd Apron, which effectively hardcaps a team at 190m
-no longer restricted towards just free agents & can be used to trade for players on existing contracts making up to 5.18m next year
Non Tax-Payer MLE: 12.86m for up to 4yrs
-using it triggers 1st Apron, which effectively hardcaps a team at 179m
-no longer restricted towards just free agents & can be used to trade for players on existing contracts making up to 12.86m next year
BiAnnual Exception: 4.67m for up to 2yrs
-using it triggers 1st Apron & can’t be used in consecutive seasons (ie Lakers won’t have access to this resource thus summer due to using BAE on Prince this past summer)
-no longer restricted towards just free agents & can be used to trade for players on existing contracts making up to 5.18m next year
roomMLE: 7.98m for up to 3 years
-no longer restricted towards just free agents & can be used to trade for players on existing contracts making up to 7.98m next year
2nd Round exception: 1.88m - 2.07m based respectively on either an up to 3 or 4 year deal with final year being team option
35% max (10+ seasoned player): 49.35m
30% max (7-9 seasoned player): 42.3m
25% max (0-6 seasoned player): 35.25m
Rookie min / incomplete roster charge: 1.88m
Vet min: 2.07m (only 2 seasoned player cap hit applies w/ difference paid by the league)
_________________ Not familiar with the salary cap/CBA rules & how it impacts our Lakers?
#GetFamiliar by CLICKING HERE!
Lakers potential cap sheet for the 2024/25 offseason:
Quote:
1. Bron 51.4m (player option)
2. AD 43.2m
3. DLo 18.7m (player option)
4. Rui 17m
5. Reaves 13m
6. Gabe 11m
7. Vando 10.7m
8. JHS 3.9m
9. Wood 3m (player option)
10. Cam 2.5m (player option)
11. Hayes 2.5m (player option)
12. MaxL 1.9m
13. MaxC RFA QO caphold 2.3m
14. 2024 FRP caphold (projected to be #17 overall) 3.8m
= 184.9m in potential team salary heading into 2024 free agency
As you can see from above, we’re already projected to be about 44m over the 141m salary cap. So if Bron opts out & we renounce his bird rights, we could be looking at roughly 7.5m in cap space.
Let’s say all our player option guys (Bron, DLo, Wood, Cam, Hayes) opt out and have their respective bird rights renounced + MaxC and our other free agents (like Prince) aren’t brought back & the Pels decide to keep our #17 pick this year, then the Lakers can maximize their cap space potential and open up to 29.9m in cap space when you consider 7 on the roster remain (AD, Rui, Reaves, Gabe, Vando, JHS, MaxL) as long with 5 incomplete roster charges.
Note: player options & RFA QOs have a deadline of June 29th which is roughly a day before the June 30th free agent moratorium begins. Also cap figures used in my post are provided and can be found here:
https://www.spotrac.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/ _________________ Not familiar with the salary cap/CBA rules & how it impacts our Lakers?
#GetFamiliar by CLICKING HERE!
^Yeah, a trade of some sort is the only thing we really can do to make a significant move beyond the margins. I believe it’s why the FO made it such a big deal that they can use up to 3 FRPs this summer to to really go for a “star” name. I find that type of transaction highly skeptical, specifically in pertaining with Trae, but supposedly that is the FO’s plan that better moves the needle for us.
When it comes to cap space, there is just way too much turnover to really take it seriously. Also take into account that beyond the optics of moving off of Bron, the max cap space we could develop would need to rely on the salary cap projections jumping to the 10% max allowed in the CBA, in which case that aforementioned 29.9m in cap could max out to 38.5m in cap space IF & ONLY IF the current cap projections max out to 149.6m instead of the 141m it is presently trending at.
That 38.5m would make it good enough for a 25% max eligible player but certainly isn’t enough for a 30% or 35% max level player.
Also when it comes to Bron, I doubt we can just trade him to whoever we want. He can agree to opt in to his 51.4m if he gets rerouted to a destination of his choosing. Otherwise he mostly opts out of his deal and re-ups to a new deal where he stipulates that a no-trade clause becomes a must during negotions.
Lastly, other things to consider, is how eager ownership is to become a repeat tax offender for a squad that has mainly been play-in contenders as of late. Will they want to conduct S&ts and/or use/trade their eligible MLEs at risk of triggering the hard cap Aprons? Will they involve their ‘31 draft pick which is 7 years out and risks “freezing” their future draft picks? This offseason is gonna be a MFer of a landscape to navigate. _________________ Not familiar with the salary cap/CBA rules & how it impacts our Lakers?
#GetFamiliar by CLICKING HERE!
ESPN’s Bobby Marks: Where the Lakers go from here resides with the options and eventual decisions by Lakers GM Rob Pelinka.
Pelinka could choose the path of continuity and run back the same roster that finished 21-10 after the All-Star break. The Lakers have twelve players under contract, including James, Russell, Wood, Hayes and Reddish, all of whom hold player options for 2024-25. They will also have a first-round pick if the Pelicans elect to defer until 2025. Continuity does come at a cost considering the Lakers would exceed the luxury tax and first apron if the same roster returns. It would also mark a second straight offseason of keeping the core parts together. Before turning their season around in late February, this Lakers roster had gone 27-32 this season.
Darvin Ham could be used as a scapegoat, and Pelinka could search for his third coach in five years. The Lakers reached the playoffs despite being tied for fourth in most games missed because of injury. Last offseason's additions of Reddish, Gabe Vincent and rookie Jalen Hood-Schifino all missed significant time this season. Jarred Vanderbilt played just 29 games.
The more realistic option is Pelinka taking an aggressive approach in the trade market.
The Lakers will go from having one tradable first-round pick (2029) to three (2024 or 2025, 2029 and 2031) starting the night of the draft, giving them more options if an All-Star becomes available. They can also trade swap rights in 2026, 2028, 2029, 2030 and 2031. Russell cannot be traded in the offseason unless he picks up his player option or works a sign-and-trade in July. If he opted out and did not return, the Lakers would have only four larger tradable contracts (outside of James and Davis): Reaves, Vincent, Hachimura and Vanderbilt.
One difficulty with the plan to find another superstar is the new collective bargaining agreement, which restricts how much high-spending teams can add to their rosters.
Offseason finances: The Lakers are currently operating as a team below both aprons but must have an eye toward their 2024-25 finances if they make any trade. Currently they are allowed to take back more money in a trade, aggregate contracts to trade for a single player making a high salary, and send cash in a trade. However, using any of the three starting on July 1 would trigger the second apron. The first apron also gets triggered if the Lakers take back more money than they send out in any trade. Including their first-round pick, Los Angeles is over the $178.7 million first apron next season and is $4.8 million below the $189.6 million second apron. The Lakers are projected to be a repeater tax team for the fourth consecutive season. If the Lakers retain their first-round pick and re-sign restricted free agent Max Christie, they will likely be a second apron team. If the Lakers finish in the second apron after the 2024-25 season concludes, their 2032 first is frozen and unavailable in a future trade. They could gain some flexibility if Wood, Hayes and Reddish decline their player options and either sign back with the Lakers at a lesser salary or with another team. For example, Wood signing for the one-year veteran minimum saves the Lakers $1 million. Those three players, along with Russell ($18.7 million) and James ($51.4 million), have until June 29 to opt in to their contracts. The Lakers will have the second-round exception available to sign their pick to a three-year or four-year contract. The Lakers will have the $12.9 million non-tax midlevel exception if Russell declines his option and signs with a new team. They do not have the $4.7 million biannual exception because it was used last offseason to sign Taurean Prince.
Top front office priority: The next contract for James and Russell's option highlight the to-do list for the Lakers' front office. James has made it clear on multiple occasions that his playing career is coming to an end.
"Not very long," James said in March on how long he sees himself playing. "Not very long. I'm on the other side, obviously, of the hill. So I'm not going to play another 21 years, that's for damn sure. But not very long."
If James opts out, he is eligible to sign a three-year, $162 million contract that would run through the 2026-27 season. The contract would be the largest in his career, and James would be allowed to negotiate a no-trade clause. A three-year max salary for a 39-year-old would normally be deemed as a toxic contract, but James just played his most games since 2017-18 and continues to defy Father Time, shooting a career-high 41.6% on 3-pointers. He will likely earn All-NBA honors for a 20th consecutive season. James could also go the short-term route and sign a two-year, $104 million contract. The second year would be a player option, allowing James to once again become a free agent next offseason.
Russell could test free agency by declining his $18.7 million option and sign with a team that has room. There is also the option of signing for less with a team that has the $12.9 million non-tax midlevel exception. With Russell not on the roster, the Lakers would have financial flexibility below the luxury tax and first apron, but they'd also have a void at starting point guard. They could use backup Gabe Vincent, last year's first-round pick Jalen Hood-Schifino or the $12.9 million non-tax midlevel exception as a replacement -- or draft one in the first round this year if the Pelicans defer the pick. The Lakers were 15-3 in games when Russell scored at least 25 points and 9-2 when he attempted 11 3-pointers or more. However, he has struggled against Denver the past two postseasons, going scoreless in the Game 3 loss this year.
Extension candidate to watch: If he picks up his player option, James will become extension eligible on Aug. 18. The maximum extension the Lakers can offer James is two years, $112.9 million. Salary in 2025-26 would be $54.3 million. Team needs: Frontcourt depth, perimeter shooting, another ball handler who can create for others and lineup consistency with the bench. Los Angeles gave up the fourth-most second-chance points, but should get a boost with a healthy Vanderbilt. Perimeter scoring from the bench continues to be a problem. The Lakers ranked 24th in 3-point shooting and 26th in scoring from their reserves.
Draft assets: The Lakers owe New Orleans an unprotected first in 2025 (if the Pelicans elect to defer) and 2027 top-4 protected first to Utah. Including the Clippers' pick in June, the Lakers have five second-round picks available to trade.
@miggs: Using the non-taxpayer MLE triggers the 1st Apron hardcap…so the only way it gets unlocked is if AFTER it’s use, team salary remains below the 1st Apron hardcap (presently projected to be 179m). Since we used the BAE last summer on Prince, we no longer have use of that resource this summer, which would also trigger the 1st Apron hardcap….so as a result the Lakers must be at least 13m (value of ntpMLE) below the hardcap aka have at most 166m in team salary before using the ntpMLE.
If you can manipulate our key potential FAs in Bron, DLo’s & MaxC’s contracts to reflect a team salary of 165mish, then the ntpMLE gets unlocked for use where we would remain safely under the hardcap.
Note if the salary cap suddenly increases to the max of 149.6m, then the 1st Apron can climb to at most 190m this summer, giving a potential 11m more in wiggle for 1st Apron hardcapped teams. However, imho current projections ain’t looking to max out this summer.
Btw, I provided our potential cap sheet heading into free agency below for you to see how much salary needs to be shed for the ntpMLE to get unlocked. Hope that answers it for you fam.
Big free agent class in 2025. The move is to sign LeBron to a 1/1 max and having a roster that gives us flexibility to sign a max contract next summer. If we come to an agreement with a superstar next summer, I can see Bron opting out and signing for the minimum to crew up for one last shot at the title.
@miggs: Using the non-taxpayer MLE triggers the 1st Apron hardcap…so the only way it gets unlocked is if AFTER it’s use, team salary remains below the 1st Apron hardcap (presently projected to be 179m). Since we used the BAE last summer on Prince, we no longer have use of that resource this summer, which would also trigger the 1st Apron hardcap….so as a result the Lakers must be at least 13m (value of ntpMLE) below the hardcap aka have at most 166m in team salary before using the ntpMLE.
If you can manipulate our key potential FAs in Bron, DLo’s & MaxC’s contracts to reflect a team salary of 165mish, then the ntpMLE gets unlocked for use where we would remain safely under the hardcap.
Note if the salary cap suddenly increases to the max of 149.6m, then the 1st Apron can climb to at most 190m this summer, giving a potential 11m more in wiggle for 1st Apron hardcapped teams. However, imho current projections ain’t looking to max out this summer.
Btw, I provided our potential cap sheet heading into free agency below for you to see how much salary needs to be shed for the ntpMLE to get unlocked. Hope that answers it for you fam.
New CBA Term Sheet for 2023/24 Transitional Season & Beyond
Quote:
NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement – Key Deal Points
The following is a summary of certain key changes to the NBA/NBPA Collective Bargaining Agreement. New CBA terms will take effect on July 1, 2023, except where otherwise noted below.
I. Term of Agreement
The new CBA will have a seven-year term covering the 2023-24 through 2029-30 seasons. The NBA and Players Association will each have the ability to end the CBA one year early (after the 2028-29 season) by providing written notice by October 15, 2028.
II. Key Unchanged Elements
•The players’ share of Basketball Related Income (BRI) will remain within a band of 49%-51% (currently at 51%).
•The “soft” Salary Cap system, whereby teams are permitted to exceed the Salary Cap using Salary Cap Exceptions, will continue.
•Existing rules on minimum, maximum, and rookie scale player salaries will remain the same.
•Most rules relating to maximum player contract length will be unchanged.
III. System
A. Apron Levels and Growth.
There will be two “Apron” levels set above the Tax Level:
1. First Apron Level.
For the 2023-24 Salary Cap Year, the “First Apron Level” will be set per the current CBA, at approximately $7 million above the Tax Level.
2. Second Apron Level.
For the 2023-24 Salary Cap Year, a “Second Apron Level” will be established and set at $17.5 million above the Tax Level.
3. Apron Growth.
Beginning with the 2024-25 Salary Cap Year, the First Apron Level and Second Apron Level will grow at the rate of growth in the Salary Cap.
B. New Transaction Rules.
Teams will be subject to additional transaction rules related to the First Apron Level and Second Apron Level.
1. First Apron Level Rules.
In addition to the Tax Apron transaction rules in the current CBA, the following transaction rules will apply at the First Apron Level.
a. Signings – “Buyout” Players.
Teams will be unable to sign a player during a Regular Season if he was waived during that Regular Season and had a pre- waiver Salary for that year greater than the amount of that year’s Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Salary Exception.
b. Trades
i. Traded Player Exception (“TPE”) Multiplier
•During the period from July 1, 2023 through the last day of the 2023- 24 Regular Season, teams will be unable to use a TPE in excess of 110% of the Salary of the Traded Player(s); and
•Beginning on the day after the last day of the 2023-24 Regular Season, teams will be unable to use a TPE in excess of 100% of the Salary of the Traded Player(s).
ii. Pre-Existing TPEs.
Beginning on the day after the last day of the 2023- 24 Regular Season, teams will be unable to use a TPE generated in a prior year. (For purposes of this rule, a “year” is measured from end of Regular Season to end of Regular Season.)
2. Second Apron Level Rules.
The following transaction rules will apply at the Second Apron Level.
a. Signings – Taxpayer MLE.
Teams will be unable to use the Taxpayer Mid- Level Salary Exception.
b. Trades.
Beginning on the day after the last day of the 2023-24 Regular Season, teams will be unable to:
i. Aggregation.
Use a TPE generated by aggregating the Salaries of multiple Traded Players.
ii. Cash.
Convey cash to another team in a trade.
iii. Sign-and-Trade.
Acquire a Player Contract using a TPE in respect of a player whose Contract was traded pursuant to a sign-and-trade.
3. Administration of Transaction Rules
A. The transaction rules will work in the same manner as the Tax Apron rules set forth in the current CBA – i.e., a team with a Team Salary that exceeds the applicable Apron level will be unable to engage in the applicable transactions, and a team that engages in one or more of such transactions will be unable to subsequently have a Team Salary that exceeds the applicable Apron level in such Salary Cap Year.
B. A team that engages in any of the trade transactions described under the First and Second Apron Level rules above after the last day of the Regular Season of a Salary Cap Year will be unable to subsequently have a Team Salary that exceeds the applicable Apron level for the remainder of the then-current Salary Cap Year as well as for the immediately following Salary Cap Year. (Notwithstanding this general rule, there will be certain transition rules applicable to trade transactions occurring during the period from the day after the last day of the 2023-24 Regular Season through June 30, 2024.)
C. New Draft Pick Rules.
Beginning with the 2024-25 Salary Cap Year, if a team’s Team Salary exceeds the Second Apron Level in a Salary Cap Year, then its first round draft pick in the seventh Draft following the last day of the Salary Cap Year (the “Frozen Pick”) will be frozen, meaning the pick may not be traded.
1. If the team’s Team Salary exceeds the Second Apron Level in at least two of the immediately following four Salary Cap Years, the Frozen Pick will be moved to the end of the first round of the applicable Draft and the team will continue to be unable to trade it. If more than one team has a Frozen Pick moved to the end of the first round of a particular Draft, those teams will select at the end of the first round in inverse order of their consolidated standings at the end of the preceding season.
2. If, instead, the team’s Team Salary is less than or equal to the Second Apron Level in at least three of the immediately following four Salary Cap Years, then the Frozen Pick will be unfrozen (meaning it could again be traded) as of the first day of the Salary Cap Year immediately following the third such Salary Cap Year for which the team’s Team Salary is less than or equal to the Second Apron Level and will not be subject to any restriction on pick position.
D. Tax System.
The tax system will be modified to (i) beginning in 2025-26, reduce tax rates in the first two tax brackets and increase tax rates in higher tax brackets, and increase “repeater” tax rates, and (ii) beginning in 2024-25, increase tax brackets at the rate of growth in the Salary Cap. The tax rates under the new CBA will be as follows:
1. Standard Tax / Repeater Tax Rates towards the 2023-24 & 2024-25 seasons. (Total dollar amounts for that tax bracket are within parentheses.)
1. If, as of the first day of the Regular Season, a team’s Team Salary is less than the MTS, then:
a. The team will be required to pay the difference to the NBA, with the amount distributed to all players in the NBA (instead of just players on that team, as under current CBA rules);
b. The team will not receive a tax distribution (except that, in 2023-24 as a transition, the team will receive a 50% tax distribution); and
c. The amount of the difference will be added to the team’s Team Salary for Salary Cap purposes.
2. No team will be permitted to engage in any transaction on or following the first day of the Regular Season that will reduce the team’s Team Salary below the MTS.
F. Salary Cap Exceptions
1. Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Salary Exception Increase.
The Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Salary Exception will increase by 7.5% from the amount in the current CBA, to equal 9.120% of the Salary Cap (representing an increase from $10.5 million for the 2022-23 season to a currently projected $12.2 million for the 2023- 24 season).
2. Room Mid-Level Salary Exception Increase
a. The Mid-Level Salary Exception for Room Teams will increase by 30% from the amount in the current CBA, to equal 5.678% of the Salary Cap (representing an increase from $5.4 million for the 2022-23 season to a currently projected $7.6 million for the 2023-24 season); and
b. The maximum term of a Contract signed using the Mid-Level Salary Exception for Room Teams will increase from two years to three years.
3. Taxpayer Mid-Level Salary Exception
a. The Taxpayer Mid-Level Salary Exception will equal $5 million for 2023-24 and will grow annually at the rate of growth in the Salary Cap; and
b. The maximum term of a Contract signed using the Taxpayer Mid-Level Salary Exception will be decreased from three years to two years.
4. Traded Player Exceptions Increase
a. 175% Trade Allowance.
The 175% trade allowance will be increased to 200%. A team with a Team Salary between the Tax Level and the First Apron Level will now be permitted to use this allowance.
b. $5M Trade Allowance.
The $5 million trade allowance will be increased to $7.5 million for the 2023-24 Salary Cap Year and will grow annually at the rate of growth in the Salary Cap. A team with a Team Salary between the Tax Level and the First Apron Level will now be permitted to use this allowance.
5. Mid-Level Exceptions and Bi-annual Exception in Trades.
Beginning with the 2024-25 Salary Cap Year, teams will be permitted to use the Non-Taxpayer Mid- Level Salary Exception, Mid-Level Salary Exception for Room Teams, or Bi- annual Exception to acquire one or more players by trade or waiver claim.
6. Second Round Pick Exception.
A new Exception will be created for signing Second Round Picks to a three-year or four-year contract up to specified Salary amounts.
G. More Flexible Extensions
1. Maximum Salary.
The maximum allowable Salary increase in the first season covered by a Veteran Extension will be 140% (increased from 120% under the current CBA).
2. Rookie Scale Extensions.
All Rookie Scale Extensions will be permitted to cover up to five new seasons (under the current CBA, only maximum-salary Rookie- Scale Extensions may cover five new seasons).
3. Roster Limitations.
The limitations on the number of Designated Veteran and Designated Rookie Scale Players permitted on a team’s roster will be eliminated.
4. Extend-and-Trades.
Beginning in 2024-25, for Extensions entered into in connection with an agreement to trade the Contract, (a) the maximum allowable term of the Extension will be increased from a total of three years to a total of four years, and (b) the maximum allowable Salary in year one of the extended term will be increased from 105% of the player’s prior Salary to 120% of the greater of the player’s prior Salary and the Estimated Average Player Salary.
H. Regular Season Performance – Incentives and Awards
1. Games Played Requirement for Certain Generally Recognized League Honors
a. Qualification Requirements.
To be eligible for MVP, an All-NBA Team, Defensive Player of the Year, an All-Defensive Team, or Most Improved Player honors, a player must satisfy at least one of the following two criteria:
i. Player played in at least 65 Regular Season games; or
ii. Player (A) played in at least 62 Regular Season games, (B) suffered a season-ending injury that renders the player unable to play through May 31, and (C) played in at least 85% of his team’s Regular Season games prior to the injury. A player will be considered to have played in a Regular Season game for purposes of these rules if he played at least 20 minutes of the game (except that for up to two Regular Season games per season, the game will count if the player plays between 15 and 20 minutes).
b. Exceptions.
The CBA will provide for limited exceptions under which a player who fails to satisfy the games-played criteria may nonetheless be deemed eligible for the applicable awards – for example, if the player can establish that he would have met the 65-game threshold but for extraordinary circumstances that would render his exclusion from award eligibility unjust.
2. Aggregate Regular Season Performance. Voters for MVP, All-NBA Teams, Defensive Player of the Year, All-Defensive Teams, and Most Improved Player will be directed to consider a player’s aggregate performance over the course of the Regular Season (taking into account the player’s total number of games and minutes played) when making their selections.
3. “Positionless” Voting.
All-NBA and All-Defensive Team voters will be directed to vote for the most deserving players each season without regard to position.
I. Salary Cap “Smoothing.”
The Salary Cap and Tax Level will not decrease, and will not increase by more than 10%, in any Salary Cap Year.
J. Other Changes
1. Offer Sheet Matching Period.
A team that receives an Offer Sheet in respect of a Restricted Free Agent prior to 12:00 p.m. (ET) on a day will have until 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the immediately following day to match the Offer Sheet (an exception to the general rule under which a team has until 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the day that is two days following receipt to match an Offer Sheet). For an Offer Sheet received at any time during the Moratorium Period, a team will have until 11:59 p.m. (ET) on July 7 to match the Offer Sheet.
2. More Flexible Stretch Rules.
Teams will be permitted to make a one-time election by August 31 of any year covered by the term of a terminated Contract to stretch a player’s then-remaining future Salary over twice the number of seasons remaining on the original term of the Contract plus one. (This modification will not apply to Contracts terminated prior to the first day of the 2023-24 Salary Cap Year.)
3. Roster Flexibility – Active List.
Each team may have up to 15 players dressed and on the Active List for each game of the season.
4. Negotiating With Players on Team.
Beginning on the day following the date of the last game of the NBA Finals, each team will be permitted to begin negotiating the terms of a Player Contract with any player who finished the season on the team’s roster. The rules regarding when a team may begin negotiating the terms of a Player Contract with any other player (generally, subject to limited exceptions, beginning at 6:00 p.m. (ET) on June 30) will remain unchanged.
IV. Business Opportunities
A. Players Association Participation in Private Equity Funds Investing in NBA Teams. The Players Association will be permitted to passively invest on behalf of all players in private investment funds that invest in NBA teams, provided that (among other conditions) the Players Association’s investment in a fund may not exceed 5% of the committed capital of such fund.
B. Investment in Independent WNBA Teams.
NBA players will be permitted to invest in Independent WNBA Teams (i.e., teams in which no NBA owners hold an interest), provided that each individual player can invest in only one Independent WNBA Team and a player’s investment cannot exceed 4% of the team. NBA players cannot collectively hold more than 8% of any Independent WNBA Team.
C. Emerging Markets
1. Sports Betting and Fantasy
a. Investment.
A player may hold a passive, non-controlling interest in a sports betting or fantasy company (limited to less than 1% for a company that offers or facilitates NBA-related bets or contests).
b. Endorsement.
A player may participate in sports betting and fantasy endorsement that involves (i) general brand endorsement and/or (ii) endorsement of betting on non-NBA sports.
2. Cannabis
a. Investment.
A player may invest in a company that makes products containing CBD. A player may also hold a passive, non-controlling interest in a company that makes products containing marijuana.
b. Promotion.
Players will continue to be prohibited from promoting marijuana companies, but a player may promote a company that makes products containing CBD.
VI. NBA Draft Combine.
Beginning with the 2024 NBA Draft Combine, all invited players will be required to attend and participate in the Draft Combine (other than 5-on-5, which will be optional), unless excused from participation by the NBA for medical or other valid reasons.
A. Refusal to Participate in the Combine.
Invited players who are not excused and do not participate in the Combine will not be eligible to be drafted in the NBA until the first subsequent Draft for which the player attends and participates in the Combine.
B. Limits on Team Access
1. Team Access.
The only teams that will receive Combine medical/testing information for a player ranked as a top-10 prospect are those with a Draft pick in the player’s Potential Draft Range (as set forth in the following chart).
Player Rank / Potential Draft Range
1 / 1-10
2-6 / 1-15
7-10 / 1-25
Any team that trades for a Draft pick following the Combine would be provided with access to the medical/testing information for players in the Potential Draft Range associated with the pick (e.g., if a team with the 16th pick acquires the 15th pick in a trade, the team would thereafter gain access to the medical/testing information for players ranked 2-6).
2. Rankings.
The NBA and Players Association will agree upon a method to rank the top-10 prospects prior to the Draft Lottery each year.
VII. Anti-Drug Program
A. Prohibited Substances List -- Marijuana
1. Marijuana will be removed from the Prohibited Substances List (“PSL”). A team that has reason to believe one of its players is under the influence of marijuana while engaged in NBA or team-related activities, or has a dependency issue involving marijuana, may refer the player to a treatment program.
2. The NBA and teams may impose reasonable discipline on players who are under the influence while engaged in any team activity or in violation of the law.
B. Procedures/Protocols
1. Number of Tests.
During the Season, the NBA is authorized to conduct up to 1,925 total random urine tests.
2. Dismissal & Disqualification.
A player who is dismissed and disqualified under the Anti-Drug Program will be eligible to apply for reinstatement 12 months following his dismissal and disqualification (rather than 24 months).
VII. Player Eligibility and G League
A. Automatic Eligibility.
A player will no longer be automatically eligible for the NBA Draft by virtue of rendering services to a non-NBA professional basketball team (e.g., G League Ignite). Instead, such a player will be automatically eligible for an NBA Draft if he is or will be 22 years of age during the calendar year of the Draft.
B. Two-Way Contracts
1. Number of Two-Way Players.
The maximum number of Two-Way Players that a team may have on its roster will be increased from two to three.
2. Signing Deadline.
The January 15 signing deadline for a Two-Way Contract set forth in Article II, Section 11(f)(i) of the CBA will be moved back to March 3.
C. Exhibit 10 Contract Bonus Amount.
The maximum Exhibit 10 Bonus amount to which a team and player could agree will increase from $50,000 to $75,00 for the 2023- 24 season and will increase annually thereafter at the rate of growth in the Salary Cap.
D. Off-season/Training Camp Roster Size.
The off-season and training camp roster size limit will be increased to 21 (from the current limit of 20).
VIII. In-Season Tournament
There will be an annual In-Season Tournament starting with the 2023-24 season that will consist of two stages – a Group Stage and a Knockout Stage. All 30 teams will participate in the Group Stage, which will feature regular season games designated as tournament games, and based on performance in those games, eight teams will advance to a single elimination Knockout Stage where one team will be crowned the In-Season Tournament champion.
IX. Benefits
A. Player Benefits.
The new CBA provides for improvements in player benefits, including an increased tuition reimbursement allowance, contributions to the Post- Career Income Plan in respect of seasons shortened due to COVID, enhanced medical and retirement benefits for Two-Way Players, and increased funding for the NBA Legacy Fund.
B. Playoff Pool.
The Playoff Pool for the 2023-24 season will increase by 15% and continue to grow annually thereafter at the rate of growth in the Salary Cap.
_________________ Not familiar with the salary cap/CBA rules & how it impacts our Lakers?
#GetFamiliar by CLICKING HERE!
Bobby Marks gives a quick outlook to the Laker offseason. I will be on vacay in about a month, so I'll try to get out an updated Q&A for this offseason soon, based off of the current 3.68% projection towards a raised cap (ie 2023/24 salary cap of 136M projected to be raised to 141M). As of right now however, I'll just bump/update the key cap figures and elements to watch out in an abridged less thorough format below. I'll try to answer any Laker cap related questions in here, hopefully in concert with the rest of my fellow cap enthusiasts here @LG. However, I do apologize that I won't be here to carry any discussions on question once mid-June hits and I'm on vacay with less screen time. Hopefully the rest of the cap heads here can carry that weight. Thanks for your patience folks.
•Tax-Payer MLE: 5.18m for up to 2yrs
-using it triggers 2nd Apron, which effectively hardcaps a team at 190m
-no longer restricted towards just free agents & can be used to trade for players on existing contracts making up to 5.18m next year
•Non Tax-Payer MLE: 12.86m for up to 4yrs
-using it triggers 1st Apron, which effectively hardcaps a team at 179m
-no longer restricted towards just free agents & can be used to trade for players on existing contracts making up to 12.86m next year
•BiAnnual Exception: 4.67m for up to 2yrs
-using it triggers 1st Apron & can’t be used in consecutive seasons (ie Lakers won’t have access to this resource thus summer due to using BAE on Prince this past summer)
-no longer restricted towards just free agents & can be used to trade for players on existing contracts making up to 5.18m next year
•roomMLE: 7.98m for up to 3 years
-no longer restricted towards just free agents & can be used to trade for players on existing contracts making up to 7.98m next year
•2nd Round exception: 1.88m - 2.07m based respectively on either an up to 3 or 4 year deal with final year being team option
•35% max (10+ seasoned player): 49.35m
•30% max (7-9 seasoned player): 42.3m
•25% max (0-6 seasoned player): 35.25m
•Rookie min / incomplete roster charge: 1.88m
•Vet min: 2.07m (only 2 seasoned player cap hit applies w/ difference paid by the league)
What triggers the aprons?
1st Apron Triggers:
•Acquiring a S&t’d player
•Using ntpMLE
•Using BAE
•Aggregation of player(s) in trade using 125% multiplier
•Signing “buyout” player during the season that had a previous contract salary greater than the given ntpMLE value for that season
•Using TPE to trade for player in a non-simultaneous trade
2nd Apron Triggers:
•Using tpMLE
•Aggregation of players in trade (nothing in excess of an 100% multiplier)
•Sending out a S&t’d player and/or trading for a player that was previously used as an outgoing S&t’d playe
•Use of cash in a trade
•Use of a FRP 7 years out in a trade
What are the differences between the current & new trade rules & when does it come into effect?
Any team eliminated from the playoffs from now to June 30th, can make a trade with contracts that still have guaranteed money remaining for the 2023/24 season (ie non expiring contracts) & can use a 125% multiplier towards outgoing salary + 100k for salary matching
After June 30th, trades for teams below 1st Apron can be made using:
•200% multiplier towards outgoing salary up to 7.5m + 250k for salary matching
•outgoing salary between 7.5m and 29m + 7.5m for salary matching
•125% multiplier towards outgoing salary greater than 29m + 250k for salary matching
For teams above 1st Apron, an 100% multiplier must be used towards all outgoing salary due to any favorable multiplier triggering the 1st Apron hardcap
_________________ Not familiar with the salary cap/CBA rules & how it impacts our Lakers?
#GetFamiliar by CLICKING HERE!
^Sorry fam to get back to yall so late. I was intending to post the offszn primer to answer yall, but I ain’t done with it yet. So I’ll just give yall my version of tl;dr 😏 instead of having to wait for the Q&A to drop. Again, apologies in getting to it a bit late.
June 30th deadline pertains to which Laker players?
June 29th is the deadline for Bron, DLo, Cam & Hayes (who all have player options) to make decisions on whether they will opt in or opt out of the final year of their current deal. That would have applied to Wood too, but it has been reported that he has already opted in and will remain a Laker for the moment.
As for team control, June 29th is also the deadline for the Lakers to keep MaxC as a restricted free agent. His 2.3m qualifying offer (QO) will give us the right to match within a 24hr window any offer sheet another team may give him in free agency. We can also choose to not give him a QO by June 29th, in which case he would join unrestricted free agency along with Prince, Dinwiddie & any of the aforementioned player option fellas who choose to opt out.
June 30th @ 3:01pm PT is when the free agency moratorium gets underway and it will last till July 6th @ 9am PT.
Wondering if Bruce Brown is available via trade?
Toronto has till June 28th to decide on keeping Brown as 23m trade fodder heading into next season or to cut him loose to unrestricted free agency. If it becomes the latter, we could use the 12.9m ntpMLE to get him in free agency as long as we remain below the 1st Apron hardcap of 172m in team salary (since use of that MLE triggers the hard cap).
If it becomes the former, then we’d need at least 23m in outbound salary (for example Gabe + Vando + MaxL would work salary-wise), if we intend to operate as a team above the 1st Apron, yet remain below the 2nd Apron hardcap (which gets triggered with player aggregation in trade). We could also elect to send less salary out via a favorable trade multiplier (outbound salary + up to 7.5m to match for a 20mish contract like Brown’s. However in doing so, the 1st Apron hardcap gets triggered which will lead us to comply to that 172m hardcap apron. A S&t’d DLo could get us there, as well as dealing just Rui, since all we would have to send out is a minimum of 15.5m to salary match.
1) Why is Max likely to be a cap casualty? Is it because we're going to hit one of the aprons? Bobby Marks didn't really make it clear why
MaxC as an early bird RFA that could see as much as ~13m in starting salary kinda like Reaves before him.
Consider how our current cap sheet projects to be…
Notice MaxC is a manageable 2.3m due to his QO, but he surely will make more than that when it’s all said & done. In which case we would bust thru that 190m 2nd Apron if MaxC gets anything north of 7.5m in starting pay. We wouldn’t be hardcapped at that 2nd Apron if we do decide to mainly run it back, but that would mean we couldn’t trigger it during the season if we project to be >190m in team salary. That means no multiple player trade aggregation can be done during the season since that would result in the 2nd Apron hard cap getting triggered.
So if we do intend to make an aggregation trade next season, hen MaxC may be at risk of retention especially if his contract is close to 10mish.
2) What happens if we trade for Mitchell? Does that trigger a hard cap or something? Or any other trade where we aggregate salaries.
Only in a 1for1 player trade where 100% of outbound salary is used to bring back the same amount, are none of the Apron hardcaps triggered. But who is that 1 Laker player that makes exactly what Spyda makes? So if we intend to trade for dude, it sure looks like one of the Aprons will become our demise.
The use of a favorable trade multiplier where more incoming salary is seen than outbound salary, the 1st Apron hardcap gets triggered.
If no trade multiplier is used, yet a trade still involves aggregation of any sort ie a 3for1 player type deal, then the 2nd Apron hardcap gets triggered.
I hope that answers it for y'all & apologies for not really keeping it tl;dr. You could only imagine how that Q&A gonna look now, huh? It’s shaping up to be a beast. _________________ Not familiar with the salary cap/CBA rules & how it impacts our Lakers?
#GetFamiliar by CLICKING HERE!
^Sorry fam to get back to yall so late. I was intending to post the offszn primer to answer yall, but I ain’t done with it yet. So I’ll just give yall my version of tl;dr 😏 instead of having to wait for the Q&A to drop. Again, apologies in getting to it a bit late.
June 30th deadline pertains to which Laker players?
June 29th is the deadline for Bron, DLo, Cam & Hayes (who all have player options) to make decisions on whether they will opt in or opt out of the final year of their current deal. That would have applied to Wood too, but it has been reported that he has already opted in and will remain a Laker for the moment.
As for team control, June 29th is also the deadline for the Lakers to keep MaxC as a restricted free agent. His 2.3m qualifying offer (QO) will give us the right to match within a 24hr window any offer sheet another team may give him in free agency. We can also choose to not give him a QO by June 29th, in which case he would join unrestricted free agency along with Prince, Dinwiddie & any of the aforementioned player option fellas who choose to opt out.
June 30th @ 3:01pm PT is when the free agency moratorium gets underway and it will last till July 6th @ 9am PT.
Wondering if Bruce Brown is available via trade?
Toronto has till June 28th to decide on keeping Brown as 23m trade fodder heading into next season or to cut him loose to unrestricted free agency. If it becomes the latter, we could use the 12.9m ntpMLE to get him in free agency as long as we remain below the 1st Apron hardcap of 172m in team salary (since use of that MLE triggers the hard cap).
If it becomes the former, then we’d need at least 23m in outbound salary (for example Gabe + Vando + MaxL would work salary-wise), if we intend to operate as a team above the 1st Apron, yet remain below the 2nd Apron hardcap (which gets triggered with player aggregation in trade). We could also elect to send less salary out via a favorable trade multiplier (outbound salary + up to 7.5m to match for a 20mish contract like Brown’s. However in doing so, the 1st Apron hardcap gets triggered which will lead us to comply to that 172m hardcap apron. A S&t’d DLo could get us there, as well as dealing just Rui, since all we would have to send out is a minimum of 15.5m to salary match.
1) Why is Max likely to be a cap casualty? Is it because we're going to hit one of the aprons? Bobby Marks didn't really make it clear why
MaxC as an early bird RFA that could see as much as ~13m in starting salary kinda like Reaves before him.
Consider how our current cap sheet projects to be…
Notice MaxC is a manageable 2.3m due to his QO, but he surely will make more than that when it’s all said & done. In which case we would bust thru that 190m 2nd Apron if MaxC gets anything north of 7.5m in starting pay. We wouldn’t be hardcapped at that 2nd Apron if we do decide to mainly run it back, but that would mean we couldn’t trigger it during the season if we project to be >190m in team salary. That means no multiple player trade aggregation can be done during the season since that would result in the 2nd Apron hard cap getting triggered.
So if we do intend to make an aggregation trade next season, hen MaxC may be at risk of retention especially if his contract is close to 10mish.
2) What happens if we trade for Mitchell? Does that trigger a hard cap or something? Or any other trade where we aggregate salaries.
Only in a 1for1 player trade where 100% of outbound salary is used to bring back the same amount, are none of the Apron hardcaps triggered. But who is that 1 Laker player that makes exactly what Spyda makes? So if we intend to trade for dude, it sure looks like one of the Aprons will become our demise.
The use of a favorable trade multiplier where more incoming salary is seen than outbound salary, the 1st Apron hardcap gets triggered.
If no trade multiplier is used, yet a trade still involves aggregation of any sort ie a 3for1 player type deal, then the 2nd Apron hardcap gets triggered.
I hope that answers it for y'all & apologies for not really keeping it tl;dr. You could only imagine how that Q&A gonna look now, huh? It’s shaping up to be a beast.
The main thing is the bolded. I did not know this.
I don't see Christie getting more than 4-5M by the way. I have him penciled in around 3.5M. _________________ "He's a Zen master, so he can speak to you, and he doesn't need a microphone; you can hear him in your head, 'Ron, don't shoot, don't shoot.' Whatever, pow, three. I love the Zen, though."
Thinking here, I know the stricter rules doesn't go into effect until like July 1? I believe?
Lakers might be incentivized to try to get a deal done early if they plan on trading multiple guys for a star in order to avoid the 2nd apron hard cap. _________________ "He's a Zen master, so he can speak to you, and he doesn't need a microphone; you can hear him in your head, 'Ron, don't shoot, don't shoot.' Whatever, pow, three. I love the Zen, though."
^Personally, I believe MaxC goes for more. Young potential 2way players are at a premium and I’m sure teams are willing to spend on talent such as that. Let’s see if he’s closer to his QO amount than the ntpMLE amount, but I’m thinking it’s closer to the latter with him likely landing right around a Caruso type bag of 9-10m. Either way, we have the ability to match any ridiculous amount a team may offer him since he would only count as ~13m on our cap sheet for this coming year. However in year 3 of that type of deal is where it could get interesting since it would be a poison pill contract and the balloon payments would start up for the 2026/27 season where the 3rd tax band is a MFer of a payment to make.
Quote:
2025/26: first season where more punitive tax bands come into play
New tax bands are displayed below and note that 10m above the tax line (ie the 3rd tax band) reflects far more punitive tax rates
Non-repeater Tax / Repeater Tax rates are as follows (total tax amounts for each band are within parentheses):
Also @dcarter, the new trade rules kick in the moment the 2024/25 season kicks off and that would be at 3:01pm PT on June 30th with the free agency moratorium. Draft night is likely the last practical day we see the old trade rules apply. _________________ Not familiar with the salary cap/CBA rules & how it impacts our Lakers?
#GetFamiliar by CLICKING HERE!
The way Ham kept Christie hid, I just don't see him getting a deal over 5M.
On Hoops hype free agency ranking, he's at 81. In between Jae Crowder, Torrey Craig and Bol Bol, 3 guys who have shown more but still only signed for VM this past season.
Thank you for the info vas _________________ "He's a Zen master, so he can speak to you, and he doesn't need a microphone; you can hear him in your head, 'Ron, don't shoot, don't shoot.' Whatever, pow, three. I love the Zen, though."
Thinking here, I know the stricter rules doesn't go into effect until like July 1? I believe?
Lakers might be incentivized to try to get a deal done early if they plan on trading multiple guys for a star in order to avoid the 2nd apron hard cap.
OK this is big.
So either the Lakers make the trade before the new rules kick in (Rui/AR/JHS package for Mitchell)
OR
They add #17 and hard cap themselves at the 2nd apron.
Something like Rui + picks (threeway trade maybe) for Lauri could also work in the old world while letting the Lakers bring back their entire roster as they become a 2nd apron team.
If the Lakers are above the 2nd apron, they can still trade so long as they don't bring back more salary? So the Lakers can try to flip DLO for a cheaper contract (e.g. DFS if the Nets want the reunion) mid-season? They just can't aggregate / take back more salary? Also, they can't sign buyout guys right?
Thinking here, I know the stricter rules doesn't go into effect until like July 1? I believe?
Lakers might be incentivized to try to get a deal done early if they plan on trading multiple guys for a star in order to avoid the 2nd apron hard cap.
OK this is big.
So either the Lakers make the trade before the new rules kick in (Rui/AR/JHS package for Mitchell)
OR
They add #17 and hard cap themselves at the 2nd apron.
Something like Rui + picks (threeway trade maybe) for Lauri could also work in the old world while letting the Lakers bring back their entire roster as they become a 2nd apron team.
If the Lakers are above the 2nd apron, they can still trade so long as they don't bring back more salary? So the Lakers can try to flip DLO for a cheaper contract (e.g. DFS if the Nets want the reunion) mid-season? They just can't aggregate / take back more salary? Also, they can't sign buyout guys right?
We would be able to still sign buy out guys, as long as they weren't making over MLE (~12-13M) _________________ "He's a Zen master, so he can speak to you, and he doesn't need a microphone; you can hear him in your head, 'Ron, don't shoot, don't shoot.' Whatever, pow, three. I love the Zen, though."
The way Ham kept Christie hid, I just don't see him getting a deal over 5M.
On Hoops hype free agency ranking, he's at 81. In between Jae Crowder, Torrey Craig and Bol Bol, 3 guys who have shown more but still only signed for VM this past season.
Thank you for the info vas
I will say I'm having flashbacks of Rui on this.
Lakers overpaid for Rui, who was a RFA, due to potential. PJ Washington, a much better player, only received a 15M a year contract. We gave Rui 17M, when his market/worth was closer to 12-13M (MLE)
I say that to say, they might do the same with Christie. Out bid their self b/c they like the guy. _________________ "He's a Zen master, so he can speak to you, and he doesn't need a microphone; you can hear him in your head, 'Ron, don't shoot, don't shoot.' Whatever, pow, three. I love the Zen, though."
The way Ham kept Christie hid, I just don't see him getting a deal over 5M.
On Hoops hype free agency ranking, he's at 81. In between Jae Crowder, Torrey Craig and Bol Bol, 3 guys who have shown more but still only signed for VM this past season.
Thank you for the info vas
I will say I'm having flashbacks of Rui on this.
Lakers overpaid for Rui, who was a RFA, due to potential. PJ Washington, a much better player, only received a 15M a year contract. We gave Rui 17M, when his market/worth was closer to 12-13M (MLE)
I say that to say, they might do the same with Christie. Out bid their self b/c they like the guy.
If FO project Rui to continue his development, via the Aaron Gordon/Michael Porter/Naz Feid projector, they will have a good player.
It is noteworthy that AG/MJP didn't performed well on Game 7.
Can a CWood/Hayes/Rui rotation in the front court work next season
How can one replace Prince (salary/cap-wise) to either pay Dinwiddle or get a player that is more productive???
Hopefully utilizing Christie will eleviate/lessen the loss of Prince
Need a HC and Roster where LBJ's see the value of playing 30-35 MPG at a top effort that is better then 35-38 MPG without the needed energy to close important playoff games
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