During each NBA league year, teams face limits on the amount of cash they can send out and receive in trades. Once they reach those limits, they’re no longer permitted to include cash in a deal until the following league year.
For the 2020/21 NBA season, the limit is $5,617,000. If a team is including cash in a deal, the minimum amount required is $110,000.
The limits on sending and receiving cash are separate and aren’t dependent on one another, so if a team sends out $5,617,000 in one trade, then receives $5,617,000 in another, they aren’t back to square one — they’ve reached both limits for the season and can’t make another deal that includes cash.
Adding cash to a deal can serve multiple purposes. It can be a sweetener to encourage a team to make a deal in the first place – like when a team acquires a second-round pick in exchange for cash – or it can be a necessity to meet CBA requirements.
For instance, when the Jazz agreed to trade Ed Davis to the Knicks in November, they were looking to dump his $5MM salary, and sent New York a pair of second-round picks as a favor for helping them out. But Utah had to receive something in the deal, so the Knicks agreed to send the Jazz $110K, the minimum amount that can change hands in any trade involving cash.
We’ll use the space below to track each team’s cash sent and received in trades for the 2020/21 season, updating the info as necessary leading up to the 2021 trade deadline and for the first part of the 2021 offseason in July. These totals will reset once the ’21/22 league year begins in August.
Note: Data from Basketball Insiders, ESPN’s Bobby Marks, and various media reports was used in the creation of this post.
Atlanta Hawks
- Cash available to send: $5,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $3,517,000
Boston Celtics
- Cash available to send: $4,317,000
- Sent $1,300,000 to Bulls.
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
Brooklyn Nets
- Cash available to send: $3,017,000
- Sent $2,600,000 to Pacers.
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
Charlotte Hornets
- Cash available to send: $5,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $3,617,000
- Received $2,000,000 from Warriors.
Chicago Bulls
- Cash available to send: $5,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $4,067,000
Cleveland Cavaliers
- Cash available to send: $3,617,000
- Sent $2,000,000 to Jazz.
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
Dallas Mavericks
- Cash available to send: $4,517,000
- Sent $1,100,000 to Pelicans.
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
Denver Nuggets
- Cash available to send: $5,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $5,507,000
- Received $110,000 from Pistons.
Detroit Pistons
- Cash available to send: $5,257,000
- Cash available to receive: $1,017,000
- Received $4,600,000 from Rockets.
Golden State Warriors
- Cash available to send: $1,767,000
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
Houston Rockets
- Cash available to send: $17,000
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
Indiana Pacers
- Cash available to send: $5,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $3,017,000
- Received $2,600,000 from Nets.
Los Angeles Clippers
- Cash available to send: $1,522,662
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
Los Angeles Lakers
- Cash available to send: $5,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
Memphis Grizzlies
- Cash available to send: $5,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
Miami Heat
- Cash available to send: $5,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
Milwaukee Bucks
- Cash available to send: $5,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $5,507,000
- Received $110,000 from Suns.
Minnesota Timberwolves
- Cash available to send: $5,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
New Orleans Pelicans
- Cash available to send: $5,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $2,517,000
New York Knicks
- Cash available to send: $5,507,000
- Sent $110,000 to Jazz.
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Cash available to send: $4,867,000
- Sent $750,000 to Hawks.
- Cash available to receive: $3,617,000
- Received a conditional $2,000,000 from Sixers. *
- Received a conditional $2,000,000 from Sixers. *
Orlando Magic
- Cash available to send: $5,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
Philadelphia 76ers
- Cash available to send: $1,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
Phoenix Suns
- Cash available to send: $5,507,000
- Sent $110,000 to Bucks.
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
Portland Trail Blazers
- Cash available to send: $5,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
Sacramento Kings
- Cash available to send: $5,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $1,872,662
San Antonio Spurs
- Cash available to send: $5,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $3,767,000
- Received $1,850,000 from Warriors.
Toronto Raptors
- Cash available to send: $5,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
Utah Jazz
- Cash available to send: $5,617,000
- Cash available to receive: $3,257,000
Washington Wizards
- Cash available to send: $5,367,000
- Sent $250,000 to Bulls.
- Cash available to receive: $5,617,000
* Note: The Sixers owe the Thunder a 2025 first-round pick (top-six protected). If that pick remains protected and doesn’t convey by 2027, the Sixers would instead owe the Thunder $2MM in cash along with their ’27 second-round pick.