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Author: Luke Adams

Cash Sent, Received In NBA Trades For 2024/25

November 19th, 2024 at 10:39am CST by Luke Adams

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 2024/25 NBA season, the limit is $7,240,000. 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 $7,240,000 in one trade, then receives $7,240,000 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 club acquires a second-round pick in exchange for cash, or sends out an unwanted contract along with cash – or it can be a necessity to meet CBA requirements.

For instance, when the Hornets agreed to acquire Devonte’ Graham and a second-round pick from the Spurs over the summer, San Antonio essentially just wanted to clear some salary and Charlotte just wanted that draft pick. But the Spurs had to receive something in the deal, so the Hornets sent $110K, the minimum amount that can change hands in any trade involving cash.

Teams operating above the second tax apron are prohibited from sending out cash in a trade. For the time being, that restriction applies to four teams: the Suns, Celtics, Timberwolves, and Bucks. Those teams could only send out cash if they dip below the second apron.

We’ll use the space below to track each team’s cash sent and received in trades for the 2024/25 season, updating the info as necessary leading up to the 2025 trade deadline and for the first part of the 2025 offseason next June. These totals will reset once the ’25/26 league year begins on July 1.

Note: Data from Eric Pincus of Sports Business Classroom was used to confirm incoming and outgoing amounts for the Bulls, Clippers, Hornets, Jazz, Kings, Nuggets, Raptors, Spurs, Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, and Warriors.

Atlanta Hawks

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Boston Celtics

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Note: The Celtics are ineligible to send out cash as long as they’re operating over the second apron.

Brooklyn Nets

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Charlotte Hornets

  • Cash available to send: $7,020,000
  • Cash available to receive: $0
    • Received $7,240,000 from Knicks.

Chicago Bulls

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $5,240,000
    • Received $2,000,000 from Kings.

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Dallas Mavericks

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Denver Nuggets

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,130,000

Detroit Pistons

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Golden State Warriors

  • Cash available to send: $3,640,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Houston Rockets

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Indiana Pacers

  • Cash available to send: $6,240,000
    • Sent $1,000,000 to Spurs.
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Los Angeles Clippers

  • Cash available to send: $2,912,475
    • Sent $4,327,525 to Jazz.
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Los Angeles Lakers

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Memphis Grizzlies

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Miami Heat

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Milwaukee Bucks

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Note: The Bucks are ineligible to send out cash as long as they’re operating over the second apron.

Minnesota Timberwolves

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $4,740,000

Note: The Timberwolves are ineligible to send out cash as long as they’re operating over the second apron.

New Orleans Pelicans

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

New York Knicks

  • Cash available to send: $0
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Oklahoma City Thunder

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Orlando Magic

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Philadelphia 76ers

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Phoenix Suns

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Note: The Suns are ineligible to send out cash as long as they’re operating over the second apron.

Portland Trail Blazers

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $4,740,000

Sacramento Kings

  • Cash available to send: $3,240,000
    • Sent $2,000,000 to Bulls.
    • Sent $2,000,000 to Spurs.
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

San Antonio Spurs

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $4,130,000
    • Received $1,000,000 from Pacers.
    • Received $110,000 from Hornets.
    • Received $2,000,000 from Kings.

Toronto Raptors

  • Cash available to send: $5,840,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000

Utah Jazz

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $2,912,475

Washington Wizards

  • Cash available to send: $7,240,000
  • Cash available to receive: $7,240,000
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Former Bulls All-Star Bob Love Dies At Age 81

November 19th, 2024 at 9:22am CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA forward Bob Love, who played in the league from 1966-77, has passed away at age 81, according to a press release from the Bulls and a report from Harvey Araton of The New York Times. Love died on Monday after a “long battle” with cancer, per the team.

After starring at Southern University in Louisiana, Love was drafted 33rd overall in 1965 and began his NBA career with the Cincinnati Royals in 1966. He spent his first two seasons with Cincinnati, was selected by the Bucks in the 1968 expansion draft, then was traded to Chicago, where he flourished.

The 6’8″ forward was a Bull from 1968-76, earning three All-Star nods from 1971-73 and two All-NBA Second Team berths. Love also earned All-Defensive Second Team honors three times (1972-74) and eventually had his No. 10 jersey retired by the franchise.

A back injury in 1977, when Love was a member of the Seattle SuperSonics, ultimately ended his playing career.

As Araton details, Love – whose nickname was “Butterbean” – was afflicted by a stutter that impacted his ability to speak in huddles during timeouts and to reporters before and after games.

Love found himself short on money after his playing career was over due in part to the end of his marriage and in part to his stuttering, which limited his employment opportunities. He washed dishes and cleared tables at Nordstrom, where executive John Nordstrom promised him a promotion and a raise if he underwent speech therapy on the company’s dime.

Love earned that promotion, becoming Nordstrom’s manager for health and sanitation, according to Araton, and was eventually brought back by Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf as the team’s director of community relations. Having overcome his inhibiting stutter, Love delivered motivational speeches at schools, churches, and community centers on behalf of the Bulls.

“We are heartbroken by the loss of Bob Love, who leaves a legacy of excellence, resilience, and community impact,” Bulls CEO Michael Reinsdorf said in a statement. “Some of my first basketball memories were of Bob playing for the Bulls, and it was an honor to get to know him as a colleague and friend. Bob worked for years for the Bulls as a community ambassador, spending countless hours sharing motivational messages with fans. Bob will always be remembered for the kindness and determination he demonstrated throughout his career on and off the court, and his unwavering commitment to helping others.”

Our condolences go out to Love’s family and friends.

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Knicks Rip NBA For Rumored Probe Into Rick Brunson’s Promotion

November 19th, 2024 at 8:04am CST by Luke Adams

After a report from Ian Begley of SNY.tv suggested that the NBA has been “poking around” on the Knicks‘ offseason promotion of Rick Brunson to lead assistant, the team quickly responded by referring to the rumored investigation as “harassment.”

Brunson joined the Knicks as an assistant in 2022, the same year his son Jalen Brunson signed with the team as a free agent. As Begley details, Rick received a promotion this offseason around the time Jalen signed a below-market long-term contract extension with New York, prompting the NBA to look into whether the move circumvented salary cap rules.

“In response to the rumored NBA investigation into Rick Brunson’s promotion, Brunson took (former associate head coach) Johnnie Bryant’s place and assumed the same salary as Bryant,” MSG Sports, the Knicks’ parent company, said in a statement. “It’s offensive that anyone would claim Rick didn’t deserve the promotion. Rick has done a tremendous job and will continue to do so. We see this as more harassment of the Knicks due to our opposition to certain NBA matters.”

Jalen’s four-year extension this offseason was worth just shy of $157MM, which was the maximum he could receive at the time. If he had waited until the summer of 2025, he could’ve signed a five-year deal worth up to a projected $269MM.

If the Knicks had, in concert with Jalen’s extension, “rewarded” the Brunson family by promoting Rick and giving him a significant raise beyond what his performance or title would typically warrant, it could be considered salary cap circumvention. However, Begley hears from coaching sources that Rick’s new contract is “within industry standards” for top assistants.

It’s also not as if the elder Brunson is unqualified for his new role. He has been coaching since 2007 and spent time as an NBA assistant in Denver, Chicago, Charlotte, and Minnesota before arriving in New York. He also had a stint as an assistant at the University of Hartford and was the head coach at Camden High School in New Jersey.

While the league would likely perform the same sort of due diligence if any other team were in a similar situation, the Knicks contend in their statement that the rumored probe is retribution for the team’s objections to “certain NBA matters.”

The Knicks, led by team owner James Dolan, criticized the league’s new media rights deal and revenue sharing policies in a letter sent to the other 29 teams and the league office earlier this year. The team also accused Adam Silver of bias while arguing that the NBA commissioner shouldn’t preside over a dispute between the Knicks and Raptors.

Additionally, Dolan stepped down from his positions on the NBA’s influential advisory/finance and media committees last year, with reporting at the time indicating that the Knicks owner had been “increasingly critical” of Silver and the NBA on a number of issues. Dolan has been the lone dissenting vote in various Board of Governors decisions that would have otherwise been unanimous.

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Pacific Notes: Lakers, Christie, Draymond, Waters, Fox, Kings

November 16th, 2024 at 3:49pm CST by Luke Adams

After losing four of their first five road games of the season, the Lakers were encouraged by their performance on Friday in San Antonio, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Anthony Davis scored 40 points and LeBron James set a personal record with his fourth consecutive triple-double as L.A. pulled out a five-point victory over the Spurs.

“That’s what we want to do,” Davis said. “We want to be just as good of a road team as we are a home team. And we can’t do that if we don’t come out and compete. We’ve been just a different team when we’ve been out on the road. The way we compete, share the ball, play together at home, is totally different than when we get on the other side on the road. So we did that tonight.”

As Woike writes, the play of reserve wing Max Christie was another positive sign for the Lakers. After falling out of the rotation as of late, Christie logged a season-high 30 minutes on Friday with Rui Hachimura out due to a sprained right ankle and was a plus-23 in those minutes, contributing 11 points, three rebounds, and a pair of steals. the 21-year-old said it helped to know that head coach J.J. Redick still had faith in him.

“He has a lot of belief in a lot of us and I think he definitely has a lot of belief in me and I can appreciate that coming from a head coach,” Christie said. “I know you know how I can play and I think tonight was a very good example of that, when I’m just out there playing free, playing the way I know I can play instead of just trying to over-complicate things.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

  • Draymond Green‘s foul on Zach Edey in the third quarter of the Warriors‘ win over the Grizzlies on Friday has been upgraded to a flagrant 1, the league announced today (via Twitter). As Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes, the Grizzlies were upset that the foul wasn’t reviewed at the time after Green appeared to pin Edey’s lower leg to his body using his elbow and forearm, causing the big man to trip (video link). “It definitely wasn’t a basketball play,” Edey said.
  • Lindy Waters earned his second start of the season for the Warriors on Friday night, but left the game late in the first half and didn’t return after hyperextending his left knee while blocking a shot (video link). Brandin Podziemski started the second half in Waters’ place, notes Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link).
  • Kings guard De’Aaron Fox blew past his previous career high of 44 points by pouring in a franchise-high 60 in a loss to Minnesota on Friday. Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee has the story, including quotes from Fox, his teammates, and head coach Mike Brown. “He’s an All-Star and the sky is the limit for him,” Brown said. “He knew we needed help. He put us on his back, and he almost carried us to the finish line, but he did everything in his power to get us there.”
  • The Kings will be missing a pair of stars on Saturday vs. Utah, as both Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan have been ruled out due to lower back tightness (Twitter link via Anderson). It’s DeRozan’s second consecutive missed game.
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Eastern Notes: Giddey, Bridges, Sixers, Daniels, Young

November 16th, 2024 at 2:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Fourth-year guard Josh Giddey hasn’t been part of the Bulls‘ closing lineup in any of the team’s last four games and was on the bench to start the second half on Friday vs. Cleveland, with Ayo Dosunmu taking his spot in the lineup.

Head coach Billy Donovan insisted after the game that he’s still “got confidence” in Giddey and said the 22-year-old will close games in certain situations, adding that the decision to have Dosunmu on the floor to start the second half on Friday was about Giddey’s three fouls (Twitter link via K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network). However, speaking to reporters after the game, Giddey wasn’t willing to use his foul trouble as an excuse for the decision.

“It was horrible from start to finish,” Giddey said of his performance, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “I think defensively it was just — and I’m talking about me — it was a mess from the jump. They put me in action, I have to be way better, whether it’s coverage or sitting down and guarding somebody. I don’t even blame it on the fouls. It was part of it, but everything else was just as bad. I wouldn’t have played myself if I was Billy. I was bad on both sides of the ball.”

Giddey’s subpar defense was one reason why he fell out of Oklahoma City’s starting lineup during the playoffs this past spring. Improving on that end of the court has been a point of emphasis for him this fall, which is one reason why he was so disappointed with his showing on Friday against the undefeated Cavaliers.

“It pisses me off to be on that side of the ball and be like that,” said Giddey, who will be a restricted free agent at season’s end. “I thought I was making steps in the right direction. To have a night like I did tonight kind of kills your confidence.”

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

  • The Hornets announced nine days ago that forward Miles Bridges would be reevaluated in two weeks after hyperextending his knee and being diagnosed with a bone bruise. But Bridges’ recovery progressed quicker than anticipated — he was upgraded to available for Saturday afternoon’s matchup with Milwaukee after missing just three games (Twitter link).
  • While the Sixers‘ 2-10 start to the season is “obviously frustrating,” according to Paul George, and the sense of urgency in Philadelphia has increased, the club isn’t in panic mode, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Sources tell Tim Bontemps of ESPN that the 76ers also haven’t altered their long-term plan to manage George’s and Joel Embiid‘s minutes during the season in order to keep the stars as healthy as possible for the playoffs.
  • The Pelicans tried to keep Dyson Daniels out of the Dejounte Murray trade this past offseason, but the Hawks “badly wanted” a player who could help protect Trae Young on defense and insisted on his inclusion, says Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Insider link). Daniels, who is exceeding expectations in Atlanta, had another huge game on Friday in a win over Washington, racking up 25 points and six steals. According to NBA University (Twitter link), he’s the first player since Alvin Robertson in 1986 to record at least six steals in four consecutive games.
  • Speaking of Young, the Hawks guard was back in action on Friday following a one-game layoff, but admitted the Achilles tendinitis that sidelined him on Tuesday is an issue he may have to continue to manage. “It has been like a random thing throughout the season,” Young said (Twitter link via Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com). “It just started feeling a little bit more uncomfortable before the last game… (Sitting out) was just more of a precaution thing, and sometimes I’m going to have to play through it.”
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Players Eligible For In-Season Veteran Extensions In 2024/25

November 16th, 2024 at 1:08pm CST by Luke Adams

As we explain in our glossary entry on veteran contract extensions, rookie scale extensions have historically been the most common form of contract extension in the NBA. However, recent Collective Bargaining Agreements have loosened the rules on eligibility for veteran extensions and made them more financially advantageous, especially for players who don’t expect mega-deals.

As a result, we’ve seen a substantial bump in veteran contract extensions in recent seasons. During the 2021/22 league year, 21 players signed them, and that total jumped to 23 players in 2022/23. While there were only 17 veteran extensions in ’23/24, that total was eclipsed early in the 2024/25 league year and that list could continue to grow ahead of June 30, 2025.

[RELATED: 2024/25 NBA Contract Extension Tracker]

Certain extension-eligible players may prefer to wait until they reach free agency to sign a new contract, since their maximum extension would be far less than the maximum contract they’d be eligible to earn on the open market.

The maximum starting salary a player can receive in a veteran extension is up to 140% of his current salary. A player on a more modest contract can receive a maximum starting salary worth up to 140% of the NBA’s estimated average salary. In 2024/25, 140% of the estimated average salary would work out to a $18,102,000 salary in the first year of a contract extension. A player who signs an extension that fits that bill could get up to four years and approximately $81MM.

Wendell Carter Jr., Andrew Nembhard, and Ivica Zubac have all signed extensions meeting that criteria in 2024/25, albeit for three years each instead of four. Thunder guard Alex Caruso is the next noteworthy player who will become eligible for an extension that begins at $18,102,000.

Now that the regular season is underway, the group of veterans eligible for contract extensions has shrunk, since players with more than one year left on their contracts aren’t permitted to sign an in-season extension. But there are still a number of veterans in the final year of their respective contracts who remain eligible for extensions right up until the last day of the current league year (June 30).

Listed below are the players who meet the criteria for a veteran extension. Players who were recently traded can be extended, but they have to wait for six months after the trade to sign a contract longer than four total years (including the current season) with a first-year bump of more than 20% or a subsequent annual raise exceeding 5%. If a player below is noted as having “limited” eligibility until a certain date, that’s why.

Once a player regains his full extension eligibility, he becomes eligible to sign an extension of up to five total years (including the current season) with a 40% first-year raise (or 40% of the estimated average salary).

Additionally, extension-eligible players with a player or team option for 2025/26 would have to eliminate that option year as part of an extension agreement in order to meet the necessary criteria.

Here’s the full list of veterans eligible for contract extensions during the 2024/25 season:

Atlanta Hawks

Boston Celtics

Brooklyn Nets

Charlotte Hornets

  • None

Chicago Bulls

Cleveland Cavaliers

Dallas Mavericks

  • None

Denver Nuggets

  • None

Detroit Pistons

Golden State Warriors

Houston Rockets

Indiana Pacers

  • None

Los Angeles Clippers

Los Angeles Lakers

  • None

Memphis Grizzlies

  • None

Miami Heat

Milwaukee Bucks

Minnesota Timberwolves

  • Josh Minott
    • 2025/26 team option must be declined.
  • Julius Randle
    • Limited eligibility until April 4.
    • 2025/26 player option must be declined.

New Orleans Pelicans

New York Knicks

Oklahoma City Thunder

Orlando Magic

Philadelphia 76ers

  • None

Phoenix Suns

  • None

Portland Trail Blazers

Sacramento Kings

  • None

San Antonio Spurs

  • None

Toronto Raptors

Utah Jazz

Washington Wizards

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Grizzlies Notes: Jackson, Morant, Edey, Bane, Williams

November 15th, 2024 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After winning over 50 games in back-to-back seasons, the Grizzlies were decimated by injuries in 2023/24 and finished with a 27-55 record. As demoralizing as that season was, the team was able to find some silver linings. One was the offensive emergence of big man Jaren Jackson Jr., the only starter to remain relatively healthy — his 30.4% usage rate in ’23/24 dwarfed his previous career high.

“It was just a huge opportunity,” Jackson told Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “I haven’t ever been put in a position to be that offensively free in probably my life. Just getting those experiences, I can take that to any year that I have going forward.”

“Last year was a huge boost in his growth offensively,” head coach Taylor Jenkins added. “It was definitely an unintended opportunity, obviously as unfortunate as last season was, but his development was one of the brightest spots I could see.”

Jackson has carried those offensive strides over to ’24/25, matching his career-high 22.5 points per game through his first 10 outings and scoring much more efficiently (.547 FG%, .392 3PT%) than he did a year ago (.444/.320).

Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, meanwhile, served a 25-game suspension to start the season, then was active for just nine games before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury that kept him out of action for the next 10 months. Obviously, that wasn’t an ideal outcome for the rising star, but he believes the experience could benefit him in the long run.

“I’d say it was for the better,” Morant said, per MacMahon. “It allowed me to lock in mentally, focus more. I was able to be around my family a lot during my recovery process, being able to travel, feel human again, go to my AAU teams’ games, watch them win, watch the joy that they have being out there playing. It had me itching to get back on the floor.”

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

  • Morant is still on crutches and is considered week-to-week as he recovers from a right hip subluxation and pelvic muscle strains, according to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal, who spoke to sports medicine specialist and orthopedic surgeon Michael Gerhardt about Morant’s diagnosis and potential recovery timeline. “Based on what the reports are, I’d say it could be anywhere from three-to-six weeks for a return to play,” Gerhardt said, noting that the injury is an uncommon one for basketball players.
  • Ahead of this year’s draft, some teams didn’t have Zach Edey on their first-round boards, sources tell MacMahon. However, the Grizzlies were happy to select him with the No. 9 overall pick and made him a day-one starter. Edey has come off the bench in Memphis’ past three games, but Jenkins said that move wasn’t meant to be a demotion for the rookie and that it was designed to let the team evaluate different lineup combinations. Mark Medina of Athlon Sports has more on the Grizzlies’ belief in Edey and the early stages of his NBA career.
  • Vince Williams (left tibial stress reaction), who has yet to make his season debut, isn’t the only injured Grizzlies player who is close to returning. Desmond Bane (right oblique strain) is also listed as questionable to play on Friday in Golden State after missing Memphis’ past seven games, tweets Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com. Both Williams and Bane participated in today’s shootaround and their availability vs. the Warriors will be determined after pregame workouts, Wallace adds.
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Northwest Notes: Jokic, Collins, Filipowski, Flagler

November 15th, 2024 at 2:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic has been ruled out for Friday’s game in New Orleans – Denver’s first NBA Cup matchup – for personal reasons, as Bennett Durando of The Denver Post writes.

The Nuggets have a +11.3 net rating in Jokic’s 381 minutes on the court this season, compared to a -28.5 mark in the 109 minutes he hasn’t played. While that doesn’t bode particularly well for tonight’s contest, they’ll be facing a banged-up Pelicans squad that’s missing six rotation players, so it’s still a winnable game.

Zeke Nnaji, Dario Saric, and DeAndre Jordan are among the candidates to play frontcourt minutes in Jokic’s absence.

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

  • Although some of John Collins‘ numbers, including an identical 37.1% three-point rate, look similar to the ones he posted last season, the veteran big man looks more comfortable so far in his second season with the Jazz, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune, who points to Collins’ increased usage rate, improved assist rate, and better on/off numbers as positive signs. After deploying him as their starting center for much of last season, the Jazz are using Collins more as a power forward – primarily off the bench – this fall and the role seems to suit him better, says Larsen. Collins still probably still isn’t a positive trade asset, but his value is moving in the right direction, Larsen adds.
  • Jazz rookie Kyle Filipowski played well in his fourth career start on Thursday, registering 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting and holding his own when switched on Luka Doncic, Larsen writes. Of the six players Utah has drafted over the past two seasons, Filipowski was the lowest pick (No. 32 overall in 2024), but he has looked like the promising prospect of the bunch so far this season, Larsen contends.
  • Former Baylor standout Adam Flagler, who has been in the Thunder‘s system since going pro in 2023, has logged just 25 total minutes across seven appearances at the NBA level since signing a two-way contract in February, but he continues to develop in the G League, where he has emerged as a leader this season for the Oklahoma City Blue, per Rylan Stiles of SI.com. “I have always been a guy that has led by example but wanting to be more vocal, especially for the team,” Flagler said. “Being here for a second year now, knowing what to expect is big for me to put guys in place and let them know they not out there by themselves.”
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NBA Repeater Taxpayer Tracker

November 15th, 2024 at 1:13pm CST by Luke Adams

As we outlined in our glossary entry on luxury tax penalties, an NBA team is subject to more punitive “repeater” tax rates if it finishes a season in luxury tax territory after having also done so in three of the previous four seasons.

If a team is a taxpayer after having stayed out of tax territory for at least two of the previous four seasons, it pays the “standard” tax rates. In 2024/25, those standard tax rates start at $1.50 per dollar in the first tax bracket and increase as a team moves deeper into the tax. By comparison, the repeater rates begin at $2.50 per dollar and are always one dollar higher than the standard rates.

In practical terms, this means that when the Warriors finished over $40MM above the luxury tax line in 2023/24 and were subject to the repeater rate, their tax bill was worth an estimated $177MM. If they had been paying the standard tax rates, that bill would have come in a little under $137MM, saving them $40MM+.

The gap between the standard and repeater rates will further increase beginning in 2025/26, when the NBA tweaks its rates to implement more punitive penalties for repeater taxpayers and teams that operate deep in tax territory. If those new rates had been in place for the 2023/24 Warriors, their tax bill would have exceeded $260MM.

With all that in mind, it’s worth keeping tabs on which teams are subject to the repeater penalties in each NBA season.

In the space below, we’ll monitor which NBA teams have been taxpayers in each of the previous four seasons, updating the list each offseason to ensure the four most recent seasons are accounted for. If a team shows up three of these four lists, they’ll be subject to the repeater tax rate in the current season, as noted at the bottom of the article.

This list can be found anytime under the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right sidebar on our desktop site, or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu.

Here are the taxpaying teams for the past four seasons:

Note: Teams marked with an asterisk (*) paid the repeater tax rate for that season.

2023/24:

  • Boston Celtics
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Golden State Warriors *
  • Los Angeles Clippers *
  • Los Angeles Lakers *
  • Miami Heat
  • Milwaukee Bucks *
  • Phoenix Suns

2022/23:

  • Boston Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Golden State Warriors *
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Phoenix Suns

2021/22:

  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Utah Jazz

2020/21:

  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Utah Jazz

Based on the lists above, the following teams will be subject to the repeater rate in 2024/25 if they finish the season in the tax:

  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Milwaukee Bucks

Of those five teams, only the Nets are operating below the tax line at the time of publication. It’s possible that could change later in the season as a result of in-season trades — the Warriors and Clippers are currently better positioned than the Lakers or Bucks to duck the tax.

The Nets were a taxpayer in 2021, 2022, and 2023, but because they stayed out of tax territory in 2024, they can reset their repeater clock and avoid paying the more punitive rates until at least 2029 if they avoid the tax this season. It’s a safe bet they’ll do so.

Having been in tax territory in both 2023 and 2024, the Celtics, Nuggets, and Suns are the teams currently projected to become new repeater taxpayers during the 2025/26 season if they finish the ’24/25 season in the tax, which is highly likely.

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Nets’ Claxton Out At Least One Week With Back Strain

November 15th, 2024 at 11:47am CST by Luke Adams

Nets center Nic Claxton has been diagnosed with a lower back strain and will receive an epidural injection later today, according to the team (Twitter link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv).

The plan is to reevaluate Claxton in one week, meaning he’ll miss at least Friday’s and Sunday’s games against the Knicks, as well as Tuesday’s contest vs. Charlotte. In a best-case scenario, he’d make it back for next Friday’s matchup with the Sixers in Philadelphia, but it’s certainly possible he’ll remain sidelined for longer than a week.

Claxton missed the entire preseason due to a hamstring injury and was rounding back into form in recent weeks, having reclaimed his spot in Brooklyn’s starting lineup last Monday (November 4). The big man has averaged 8.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, a career-high 2.5 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 24.8 minutes per game across his first 11 appearances (five starts) this season.

Until Claxton returned to the starting five, Ben Simmons had gotten the nod as the Nets’ starting center. Simmons has been coming off the bench as of late and head coach Jordi Fernandez spoke this week about the former No. 1 pick looking comfortable in his natural point guard position, but it’s possible Simmons will rejoin the starters until Claxton gets healthy.

Nets reserve center Day’Ron Sharpe has yet to make his season debut due to a hamstring injury. Noah Clowney, who earned one start earlier this season when Simmons was out and Claxton was still on a minutes limit, would be another option for Brooklyn at center.

The Nets have gotten off to a respectable 5-7 start this season, but they’ve been at their best with Claxton on the floor. His +5.7 net rating ranks first among Brooklyn players; the club has been outscored by eight points per 100 possessions when he’s not on the court.

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