Last month, we published maximum salary projections based on a $101MM salary cap. However, on Wednesday, the NBA informed teams that the salary cap projection for 2017/18 is now $99MM. The difference is fairly modest, but it’s enough to affect what maximum salary contracts would look like. For instance, a player like Chris Paul could earn more than $205MM on a five-year max with the Clippers with a $101MM cap. With a $99MM cap, his maximum earnings slip a little to below $201MM.
While maximum salary contracts start at the same amount no matter where a player signs, players re-signing with their own teams can get larger raises and more years than if they sign elsewhere.
Additionally, players with less than seven years of NBA experience can only get a maximum salary worth 25% of the cap, while veterans with more experience can sign deals that start at 30% or 35% of the cap. So, the figures below reflect the various salaries that players like Otto Porter (less than six years), Gordon Hayward (7-9 years), and Paul (10+ years) could get on max contracts.
You can check out our story from March for more details on maximum salary contracts. For now, here’s what new max deals will tentatively look like this summer based on a $99MM cap:
A player re-signing with his own team (8% annual raises, up to five years):
| Year | 6 years or less | 7-9 years | 10+ years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017/18 | $24,750,000 | $29,700,000 | $34,650,000 |
| 2018/19 | $26,730,000 | $32,076,000 | $37,422,000 |
| 2019/20 | $28,710,000 | $34,452,000 | $40,194,000 |
| 2020/21 | $30,690,000 | $36,828,000 | $42,966,000 |
| 2021/22 | $32,670,000 | $39,204,000 | $45,738,000 |
| Total | $143,550,000 | $172,260,000 | $200,970,000 |
A player signing with a new team (5% annual raises, up to four years):
| Year | 6 years or less | 7-9 years | 10+ years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017/18 | $24,750,000 | $29,700,000 | $34,650,000 |
| 2018/19 | $25,987,500 | $31,185,000 | $36,382,500 |
| 2019/20 | $27,225,000 | $32,670,000 | $38,115,000 |
| 2021/22 | $28,462,500 | $34,155,000 | $39,847,500 |
| Total | $106,425,000 | $127,710,000 | $148,995,000 |
The tables aren’t readable on the app they get cut off the screen. It cuts off at 7-9 Ye. So you can see it the formatting is just wonky so the rest disappears.
Should be readable if you turn your phone sideways?
It is
Oh haha my bad I’m pretty stupid lol sorry Luke.
question Can anyone recommend a web site to go to to best understand the NBA salary cap, restrictions, bird rights, etc etc etc?
Our glossary entries attempt to explain a bunch of cap rules and restrictions in fairly simple terms: link to hoopsrumors.com
If you’re looking for more depth, Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ is the ultimate resource: link to cbafaq.com
Some of the information in both our glossary and Coon’s fAQ is based on the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement instead of the 2017 one, so it will be slightly dated, but there weren’t many major changes from one CBA to the next — the principles are generally all the same.