Hoops Rumors is looking ahead at the 2020/21 salary cap situations for all 30 NBA teams. Due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the NBA, it’s impossible to know yet where the cap for 2020/21 will land. Given the league’s lost revenue, we’re assuming for now that it will stay the same as the ’19/20 cap, but it’s entirely possible it will end up higher or lower than that.
The Nets knew when they secured commitments from Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving during the summer of 2019 that this season would represent a transition year as Durant recovered from his torn Achilles. However, they probably weren’t expecting anything quite this rocky.
After winning 42 games in 2018/19, the Nets were four games below .500 in ’19/20 when the NBA went on hiatus and had recently parted ways with head coach Kenny Atkinson. Getting Durant and Irving healthy and into next season’s starting lineup will cure many of Brooklyn’s ills, but those stars may not be enough to instantly turn the Nets into a title contender. More moves will likely be required here, and there’s not a ton of cap flexibility to make them.
Here’s where things stand for the Nets financially in 2020/21, as we continue our Salary Cap Preview series:
Guaranteed Salary
- Kevin Durant ($40,108,950)
- Kyrie Irving ($33,591,600)
- Caris LeVert ($16,203,704)
- Taurean Prince ($12,250,000)
- Spencer Dinwiddie ($11,454,048)
- DeAndre Jordan ($10,375,678)
- Jarrett Allen ($3,909,902)
- Dzanan Musa ($2,002,800)
- Rodions Kurucs ($1,780,152)
- Nicolas Claxton ($1,517,981)
- Total: $133,194,815
Player Options
- None
Team Options
- Garrett Temple ($5,005,350)
- Total: $5,005,350
Non-Guaranteed Salary
- Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot ($1,824,003)
- Jeremiah Martin (two-way)
- Total: $1,824,003
Restricted Free Agents
- Chris Chiozza (two-way qualifying offer / $1,445,697 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
- Total (cap holds): $1,445,697
Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds
- Joe Harris ($14,566,667): Bird rights
- No. 19 overall pick ($2,689,920) 1
- Wilson Chandler ($1,620,564): Non-Bird rights
- Tyler Johnson ($1,620,564): Non-Bird rights
- Total: $20,497,715
Offseason Cap Outlook
Even before the NBA’s projected cap increase for 2020/21 was jeopardized by the league’s China/Hong Kong controversy and the coronavirus-related stoppage, the Nets projected to be a probable taxpayer next season — especially if the team intends to re-sign free agent sharpshooter Harris.
It’s possible that some roster changes are around the corner, and those could reduce team salary, but I wouldn’t expect the club to get stingy with its payroll as Durant prepares to make his Brooklyn debut. It seems safe to assume the Nets will be one of the NBA’s biggest spenders in ’20/21 and won’t have the full mid-level or bi-annual exceptions available.
Cap Exceptions Available
- Taxpayer mid-level exception: $5,718,000 2
Footnotes
- This pick could also land at No. 20 depending on the result of a random tiebreaker.
- This is a projected value.
Note: Minimum-salary and rookie-scale cap holds are based on the salary cap and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders and Early Bird Rights was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Not a serious contender, even with KD and Irving in the lineup.
Both needed a real leader on their teams to succeed. Though both may have been the most naturally skilled players on their respected clubs, neither have the mental makeup to be the guy who leads their team to a title.
I expect small tweaking, keeping Harris and going into next season with the roster they believe could be a contender. That said, 50 wins and bounced in a competitive second round matchup would not surprise me.
I see Spencer massaging his way outta this soap opera- Interest should be wide spread
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Spencer and Allen probably get traded. Harris plays KD s position. Why would you pay him big money. They could sign n trade. Or just let him walk. Nets select #19 in draft. They can find a rotation player there. One that can give them 20 mins. They can move 2nd rd pick, Spencer, Allen. For a nice player. They are good to go. JD n Kyrie already crying about getting another star. Plus those two will decide on coach. Nets will contend. I Don’t see them in Finals. Maybe a 3 yr window. Might get to one Finals (east Finals) . Ha ha