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In addition to receiving approximately $109MM in cap room and being allowed to surpass that threshold in order to sign players using Bird Rights or the minimum salary exception, each NBA team also receives a mid-level exception. The value of this exception varies depending on a club’s total team salary.

A team that goes under the cap to use its available cap room, for instance, receives only a modest form of the MLE known as the room exception. An over-the-cap team receives the full mid-level exception, unless that team is also over the tax apron, in which case it gets a taxpayer version of the MLE that falls in between the full MLE and the room exception. We detailed the exact values of each form of mid-level exception earlier this offseason, but here’s a quick breakdown:

• Room exception: Can be used for contracts up to two years, with a starting salary worth up to $4,767,000.
• Taxpayer mid-level exception: Can be used for contracts up to three years, with a starting salary worth up to $5,718,000.
• Full/non-taxpayer mid-level exception: Can be used for contracts up to four years, with a starting salary worth up to $9,258,000.
  • Note: Though its name suggests otherwise, using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception doesn’t mean a team can’t or won’t be above the tax line ($132.63MM) at season’s end; it simply means the team’s total salary can’t surpass the tax “apron” ($138.93MM).

Now that nearly all of the NBA’s teams have used up their cap space, it’s worth keeping an eye on which teams still have part or all of their mid-level exceptions available, which we’ll do in the space below. This list will be kept up to date throughout the 2020/21 league year.

Note: As of February 27, the value of the exceptions below began to prorate downward by 1/146th per day.

Here’s where things currently stand:

Mid-Level Exception:

Non-taxpayer: $9,258,000
Taxpayer: $5,718,000

Boston Celtics

• Used: $9,258,000 (Tristan Thompson)

Brooklyn Nets

• Used: $399,591 (Alize Johnson)
• Note: Limited to taxpayer mid-level exception.

Chicago Bulls

• Used: $4,767,000 (Garrett Temple)

Cleveland Cavaliers

• Used: $2,000,000 (Damyean Dotson); $652,366 (Lamar Stevens); $158,433 (Mfiondu Kabengele)

Dallas Mavericks

• Used: $4,100,000 (Willie Cauley-Stein); $3,000,000 (Trey Burke); $1,289,846 (Tyrell Terry)

Denver Nuggets

• Used: $7,199,760 (JaMychal Green); $2,058,240 (Bol Bol)

Golden State Warriors

• Used: $2,250,000 (Brad Wanamaker)
• Note: Limited to taxpayer mid-level exception.

Houston Rockets

• Used: $1,445,697 (Jae’Sean Tate); $898,310 (KJ Martin); $250,000 (Khyri Thomas)

Indiana Pacers

• Used: $757,453 (Oshae Brissett)
  

Los Angeles Clippers

• Used: $9,258,000 (Serge Ibaka)

Los Angeles Lakers

• Used: $9,258,000 (Montrezl Harrell)

Memphis Grizzlies

• Used: $2,100,000 (John Konchar); $1,900,000 (Jontay Porter); $1,300,000 (Xavier Tillman)

Miami Heat

• Used: $5,635,000 (Avery Bradley); $3,623,000 (Maurice Harkless)

Milwaukee Bucks

• Used: $6,666,667 (D.J. Augustin); $2,337,145 (Bryn Forbes); $160,173 (Mamadi Diakite)

Minnesota Timberwolves

• Used: $0

New Orleans Pelicans

• Used: $120,000 (Naji Marshall)
  

Oklahoma City Thunder

• Used: $2,000,000 (Theo Maledon); $1,250,000 (Moses Brown); $3,870,370 (Gabriel Deck)

Orlando Magic

• Used: $3,300,000 (James Ennis); $2,000,000 (Gary Clark)

Philadelphia 76ers

• Used: $898,310 (Isaiah Joe), $609,128 (Paul Reed)
• Note: Limited to taxpayer mid-level exception.

Phoenix Suns

• Used: $9,258,000 (Jae Crowder)

Portland Trail Blazers

• Used: $9,258,000 (Derrick Jones)

Sacramento Kings

• Used: $1,620,564 (Chimezie Metu); $1,500,000 (Robert Woodard); $1,000,000 (Jahmi’us Ramsey); $700,000 (Chimezie Metu)

San Antonio Spurs

• Used: $898,310 (Tre Jones)

Toronto Raptors

• Used: $7,000,000 (Aron Baynes); $2,258,000 (Alex Len)

Utah Jazz

• Used: $9,258,000 (Derrick Favors)

Washington Wizards

• Used: $7,300,000 (Robin Lopez); $20,000 (Caleb Homesley)

Room Exception:

Available: $4,767,000

Atlanta Hawks

• Used: $4,767,000 (Kris Dunn)

Charlotte Hornets

• Used: $0

Detroit Pistons

• Used: $4,767,000 (Josh Jackson)

New York Knicks

• Used: $0

Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Decisions on rookie scale options for the 2021/22 season were due on Tuesday — any team that wanted to exercise a third- or fourth-year option on a player for next season was required to do so by last night.

As is typically the case, a huge majority of those options were picked up. Even for top picks, who are paid higher salaries due to the NBA’s rookie scale, those third- and fourth-year options are relatively team-friendly. So unless a player has fallen well short of his team’s expectations, it generally makes sense to lock in his salary for the following season at this point.

However, not every player with a 2021/22 team option had it exercised by Tuesday’s deadline. The players who had those options declined will now be on track to reach unrestricted free agency during the summer of 2021, assuming they’re not waived before then. At the end of the season, their teams won’t be able to offer them starting salaries that exceed the value of their declined options.

Listed below are the players who had their options turned down, followed by the players whose options were exercised. If a player had his option picked up, his ’21/22 salary is now guaranteed and he won’t be eligible for free agency until at least 2022.

Declined options:

Note: These players will become unrestricted free agents in 2021.

• Jerome Robinson, Wizards (fourth year, $5,340,916)
• Moritz Wagner, Wizards (fourth year, $3,893,618)
• Omari Spellman, Knicks (fourth year, $3,588,845)
• Mfiondu Kabengele, Clippers (third year, $2,174,880)

In addition to these four players who remain under contract for the 2020/21 season, three players who had rookie scale team options on their contracts for ’21/22 were waived during the offseason. Those players were Zhaire Smith (cut by Pistons), Dzanan Musa (Pistons), and Jacob Evans (Knicks). Their options were automatically voided once they cleared waivers.

Exercised options:

Fourth year:

Note: These players will become eligible for rookie scale extensions on August 2, 2021. If they’re not extended, they’ll be on track for restricted free agency in 2022.

• Deandre Ayton, Suns ($12,632,950)
• Marvin Bagley III, Kings ($11,312,114)
• Luka Doncic, Mavericks ($10,174,391)
• Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies ($9,180,560)
• Trae Young, Hawks ($8,326,471)
• Mohamed Bamba, Magic ($7,568,743)
• Wendell Carter Jr., Bulls ($6,920,027)
• Collin Sexton, Cavaliers ($6,349,671)
• Kevin Knox, Knicks ($5,845,978)
• Mikal Bridges, Suns ($5,557,725)
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder ($5,495,532)
• Miles Bridges, Hornets ($5,421,493)
• Michael Porter Jr., Nuggets ($5,258,735)
• Troy Brown, Wizards ($5,170,564)
• Donte DiVincenzo, Bucks ($4,675,830)
• Lonnie Walker, Spurs ($4,447,896)
• Kevin Huerter, Hawks ($4,253,357)
• Josh Okogie, Timberwolves ($4,087,904)
• Grayson Allen, Grizzlies ($4,054,695)
• Chandler Hutchison, Bulls ($4,019,459)
• Aaron Holiday, Pacers ($3,980,551)
• Anfernee Simons, Trail Blazers ($3,938,818)
• Landry Shamet, Nets ($3,768,342)
• Robert Williams, Celtics ($3,661,976)

Third year:

Note: Teams will have to make fourth-year option decisions for 2022/23 on these players next year (exact deadline TBD).

• Zion Williamson, Pelicans ($10,733,400)
• Ja Morant, Grizzlies ($9,603,360)
• RJ Barrett, Knicks ($8,623,920)
• De’Andre Hunter, Hawks ($7,775,400)
• Darius Garland, Cavaliers ($7,040,880)
• Jarrett Culver, Timberwolves ($6,395,160)
• Coby White, Bulls ($5,837,760)
• Jaxson Hayes, Pelicans ($5,348,280)
• Rui Hachimura, Wizards ($4,916,160)
• Cam Reddish, Hawks ($4,670,160)
• Cameron Johnson, Suns ($4,437,000)
• P.J. Washington, Hornets ($4,215,120)
• Tyler Herro, Heat ($4,004,280)
• Romeo Langford, Celtics ($3,804,360)
• Sekou Doumbouya, Pistons ($3,613,680)
• Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Pelicans ($3,261,480)
• Goga Bitadze, Pacers ($3,098,400)
• Luka Samanic, Spurs ($2,959,080)
• Matisse Thybulle, Sixers ($2,840,160)
• Brandon Clarke, Grizzlies ($2,726,880)
• Grant Williams, Celtics ($2,617,800)
• Darius Bazley, Thunder ($2,513,040)
• Ty Jerome, Thunder ($2,412,840)
• Nassir Little, Trail Blazers ($2,316,240)
• Dylan Windler, Cavaliers ($2,239,200)
• Jordan Poole, Warriors ($2,161,440)
• Keldon Johnson, Spurs ($2,145,720)
• Kevin Porter Jr., Cavaliers ($1,782,621)

For a team-by-team breakdown of this year’s rookie scale option decisions for the 2021/22 season, along with full stories on each decision, you can check out our tracker.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post.

Although a handful of big-money free agent contracts were completed during the offseason, the majority of the most lucrative deals signed by NBA players in 2020 have been contract extensions. And six of those extensions – belonging to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Bam Adebayo, and De’Aaron Fox – have been maximum-salary deals.

[RELATED: 2020/21 NBA Contract Extension Tracker]

Because those extensions won’t go into effect until the 2021/22 season and the NBA won’t finalize the ’21/22 salary cap until next summer, we can only ballpark what next year’s maximum-salary contracts will look like based on the league’s latest cap estimates.

When the NBA confirmed its salary cap data for the 2020/21 season on November 10, the league also updated its cap estimates for future seasons. According to the NBA, the cap will increase by at least 3% per year and no more than 10% per year for the remainder of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.

For now, we’re basing our maximum-salary estimates on a 3% increase from this year’s $109,140,000 salary cap, since the NBA is facing probable revenue losses in 2020/21 and seems unlikely to bump the cap too substantially next season.

Listed below are the early maximum-salary projections for 2021/22, based on a $112,414,200 cap. The first chart shows the maximum salaries for a player re-signing with his own team — a player’s previous club can offer five years instead of four, and 8% annual raises instead of 5% raises. The second chart shows the maximum salaries for a player signing with a new team.

A player’s maximum salary is generally determined by his years of NBA experience, so there’s a wide gap between potential earnings for younger and older players. Unless they qualify for a more lucrative extension by meeting certain performance criteria, players with no more than six years of NBA experience are limited to a starting salary worth up to 25% of the cap. For players with seven to nine years of experience, that number is 30%. For players with 10 or more years of experience, it’s 35%.

Here are the the early max-salary projections for 2021/22:

A player re-signing with his own team (8% annual raises, up to five years):

The “6 years or less” column here is what the new extensions for Tatum, Mitchell, Adebayo, and Fox will look like if none of them make All-NBA teams in 2021. Each of those four players has Rose Rule language in his contract, however, and could move up to the 30% max column (“7-9 years”) if certain criteria are met.

Tatum and Mitchell just have to make any All-NBA team to bump the total projected value of their extensions from $163MM to $195.6MM, but Fox would have to make All-NBA First Team and Adebayo would have to win an MVP award. Fox and Adebayo can earn “max” salaries above 25% but below 30% if they achieve certain other criteria.

The third column applies not just to players with 10+ years of experience, but also to players who meet the Designated Veteran Extension criteria. Antetokounmpo fits that bill, so his deal is worth a projected $228.2MM.

George will have 10+ years of experience under his belt when his new extension takes effect in 2021/22, so its value is reflected in the third column here as well, albeit without the fifth and final year.

The third column also reflects what Kawhi Leonard could get in free agency if he opts out in 2021, though he won’t have full Bird rights yet, preventing him from signing for more than four years.

If the cap increases by 10%, the five-year values for these maximum-salary contracts would increase to approximately $174.1MM (25%), $208.9MM (30%), and $243.7MM (35%).

A player signing with a new team (5% annual raises, up to four years):

If a player changes teams as a free agent, he doesn’t have access to a fifth year or 8% raises. So if a player like John Collins opts to sign an offer sheet with a team besides the Hawks next summer, he’ll be limited to a four-year deal projected to be worth just shy of $121MM.

If Victor Oladipo – or another veteran with between seven and nine years of NBA experience – wants to change teams in 2021, he would be able to sign a four-year contract worth up to a projected $145MM.

Leonard – or another veteran with 10+ years of experience – would be limited to just under $170MM over four years if he changes teams as a free agent in 2021.

If the cap increases by 10%, the four-year values for these maximum-salary contracts would increase to approximately $129.1MM (25%), $154.9MM (30%), and $180.7MM (35%).

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

The list of important in-season dates and deadlines for 2020/21 may look a little off for hardcore NBA fans.

For instance, you’ve grown accustomed to the fact that teams are permitted to start signing players to 10-day contracts on January 5 during a typical league year, you’ll have to adjust your thinking to accommodate for the league’s revamped ’20/21 schedule. This year, February 23 is the first day that 10-day deals can be signed.

We’re here to help provide the rescheduled dates for those usual in-season deadlines. Here’s a breakdown of the dates, deadlines, and events that will influence player movement for the next several months across the NBA:

December 29

• Deadline for teams to exercise rookie scale options for 2021/22.

January 25

• Priority order for waiver claims is now based on 2020/21 record, rather than 2019/20 record (as of March 11). Teams with the worst records receive the highest waiver priority.

January 29

• NBA G League training camps begin (tentative date).

February 6

• Most offseason signees become eligible for inclusion in trades.

February 10

• NBA G League season begins.

February 23

• First day teams can sign players to 10-day contracts.

February 24

• Last day to waive non-guaranteed NBA contracts before they become guaranteed for the rest of the season. Salaries officially guarantee on February 27 if players haven’t cleared waivers before that date.

March 3

• Most other offseason signees become eligible for inclusion in trades.
• Last day to apply for a disabled player exception.

March 4

• First half of NBA regular season ends.

March 5-9

• NBA All-Star break.

March 6

• NBA G League regular season ends.

March 8-11

• NBA G League playoffs.

March 10

• Second half of NBA regular season begins.

March 15

• Former first-round picks who were stashed overseas may sign rookie scale NBA contracts for the 2021/22 season.

March 25

• Trade deadline (2:00pm CT).

April 9

• Last day for contract renegotiations.
• Last day a player can be waived by one team and remain eligible to appear in the postseason for another team.
• Last day for a restricted free agent to sign an offer sheet.

April 19

• Last day to use a disabled player exception.

May 16

• Last day of the NBA regular season.
• Last day players can sign contracts for 2020/21
• Last day two-way contracts can be converted to standard NBA contracts.
• Luxury tax penalties calculated based on payroll as of this day.

May 18-21

• Play-in tournament for seventh and eighth playoff seeds in each conference.

May 22

• NBA playoffs begin.

Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ and NBA.com were used in the creation of this post.