Hoops Rumors Originals

Hoops Rumors Glossary: Bird Rights

The Bird exception, named after Larry Bird, is a rule included in the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement that allows teams to go over the salary cap to re-sign their own players. A player who qualifies for the Bird exception, formally referred to as a Qualifying Veteran Free Agent, is said to have “Bird rights.”

The most basic way for a player to earn Bird rights is to play for the same team for at least three seasons, either on a multiyear deal or separate one-year contracts. Still, there are other criteria. A player retains his Bird rights in the following scenarios:

  1. He changes teams via trade. For instance, the Cavaliers would hold Andre Drummond‘s Bird rights if he opts for free agency this offseason, despite just acquiring him in February. His Bird clock didn’t reset when he was traded from the Pistons to Cleveland.
  2. He finishes a third season with a team after having only signed for a partial season with the club in the first year. Patrick McCaw finished the 2018/19 season on a contract with the Raptors, then re-signed with Toronto on a two-year deal in the summer of 2019. When that contract expires, McCaw will have full Bird rights because of the partial season he spent with the Raptors last year, which started his Bird clock.
  3. He signed for a full season in year one or two but the team waived him, he cleared waivers, and didn’t sign with another team before re-signing with the club and remaining under contract through a third season. This one’s a little confusing, but let’s use DeMarcus Cousins as an example. Partway through his one-year contract with the Lakers, Cousins was waived last month and has yet to join a new team. If the Lakers were to re-sign Cousins to a two-year contract in the offseason, without him joining a new team in the interim, they’d have his full Bird rights at the end of that deal.

A player sees the clock on his Bird rights reset to zero in the following scenarios:

  1. He changes teams via free agency.
  2. He is waived and is not claimed on waivers (except as in scenario No. 3 above).
  3. His rights are renounced by his team. However, his Bird clock resumes where it left off if he re-signs with that team without having signed with another NBA team. For example, Mike Scott had his rights renounced by the Sixers last July, as Philadelphia attempted to gain cap flexibility. Scott eventually signed a new two-year deal with the 76ers and will have full Bird rights at the end of it.
  4. He is selected in an expansion draft.

If a player who would have been in line for Bird rights at the end of the season is waived and claimed off waivers, he would retain only Early Bird rights. Meanwhile, a player with Bird rights who re-signs with his previous team on a one-year contract (or a one-year deal with a second-year option) would lose his Bird rights if he’s traded. As such, he receives the ability to veto trades so he can avoid that scenario.

[RELATED: Players with the ability to veto trades in 2019/20]

When a player earns Bird rights, he’s eligible to re-sign with his team on a maximum-salary contract for up to five years with 8% annual raises when he becomes a free agent, regardless of how much cap room the team has. The maximum salary will vary for each player depending on how long he has been in the league, but regardless of the amount, a team can exceed the salary cap to complete the deal.

A team with a Bird free agent is assigned a “free agent amount” or cap hold worth either 190% of his previous salary (for a player with a below-average salary) or 150% of his previous salary (for an above-average salary), up to the maximum salary amount. For players coming off rookie scale contracts, the amounts of those cap holds are 300% and 250%, respectively.

The Pelicans, for instance, will have a cap hold worth $21,796,456 for Brandon Ingram on their 2020/21 books — 300% of his $7,265,485 salary for 2019/20. New Orleans could renounce Ingram and clear an extra $21MM+ in cap space, but the Pelicans would lose the ability to re-sign him using Bird rights in that scenario, which would force them to use either cap room or a different cap exception to re-sign him. As such, the club figures to keep that cap hold on its books until Ingram is officially re-signed.

Ultimately, the Bird exception was designed to allow teams to keep their best players. The CBA ensures that teams are always able to re-sign them to contracts up to the maximum salary, assuming the player is interested in returning and his team is willing to go over the cap.

Note: This is a Hoops Rumors Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to trades, free agency, or other aspects of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ and salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post.

Earlier versions of this post were published in previous years by Luke Adams and Chuck Myron. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2020 NBA Draft Early Entrants List

With the sports world on pause as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many pre-draft scouting events have already been nixed or are in danger of being canceled, and there are serious doubts about whether NBA teams will have the ability to work out prospects leading up to this year’s draft.

Many early entrants declare for the draft based on the belief that they’ll be able to improve their stock in those events and workouts, and may be less inclined to leave college if those opportunities aren’t available.

Additionally, with the NBA planning to resume its 2019/20 season, the 2020 draft – originally scheduled for June 25 – has been pushed back to October 16. Early entrants will need to make decisions well before then if they want to return to their college programs or international teams.

The NCAA’s withdrawal deadline, which initially fell on June 3, has been postponed until either August 3 or 10 days after the combine, whichever comes first. The NBA’s withdrawal deadline falls 10 days before the draft, so international early entrants will have until October 6 to decide whether or not to remain in the draft.

In an unprecedented twist, the NBA also retroactively adjusted its early entry deadline from April 26 to August 17, giving players a second window to declare for the 2020 draft. Bizarrely, that deadline now falls after the NCAA’s withdrawal deadline, so we’re unlikely to see any college players enter the draft waters between August 3 and August 17.

As we navigate uncharted draft waters, we’ll be using the space below to keep track of 2020’s early entrant prospects. Players who initially entered the draft and then withdrew from consideration will be noted as well.

This post, which will be updated daily, will be accessible anytime under “Hoops Rumors Features” on the right sidebar of our desktop site, or in the “Features” page found in our mobile menu. The players below are listed in alphabetical order. If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us.

Last updated 11-11-20 (2:45pm CT)

College Players:

Expected to stay in draft:

  1. Precious Achiuwa, F, Memphis (freshman) (link)
  2. Milan Acquaah, G, California Baptist (junior) (link)
  3. Ty-Shon Alexander, G, Creighton (junior) (link)
  4. Cole Anthony, G, North Carolina (freshman) (link)
  5. Brendan Bailey, F, Marquette (sophomore) (link)
  6. Saddiq Bey, F, Villanova (sophomore) (link)
  7. Tyler Bey, F, Colorado (junior) (link)
  8. Jermaine Bishop, G, Norfolk State (junior) (link)
  9. Dachon Burke, G, Nebraska (junior) (link)
  10. Vernon Carey Jr., C, Duke (freshman) (link)
  11. Nate Darling, G, Delaware (junior) (link)
  12. Lamine Diane, F, Cal State Northridge (sophomore) (link)
  13. Devon Dotson, G, Kansas (sophomore) (link)
  14. Anthony Edwards, G, Georgia (freshman) (link)
  15. CJ Elleby, F, Washington State (sophomore) (link)
  16. Malik Fitts, F, Saint Mary’s (junior) (link)
  17. Malachi Flynn, G, San Diego State (junior) (link)
  18. Josh Green, G/F, Arizona (freshman) (link)
  19. Ashton Hagans, G, Kentucky (sophomore) (link)
  20. Tyrese Haliburton, G, Iowa State (sophomore) (link)
  21. Josh Hall, F, Moravian Prep (N/A) (link)
  22. Rayshaun Hammonds, F, Georgia (junior) (link)
  23. Jalen Harris, G, Nevada (junior) (link)
  24. Niven Hart, G, Fresno State (freshman) (link)
  25. Nate Hinton, G/F, Houston (sophomore) (link)
  26. Elijah Hughes, G/F, Syracuse (junior) (link)
  27. Isaiah Joe, G, Arkansas (sophomore) (link)
  28. Dakari Johnson, G, Cape Fear CC (freshman) (link)
  29. C.J. Jones, G, Middle Tennessee (junior) (link)
  30. Mason Jones, G, Arkansas (junior) (link)
  31. Tre Jones, G, Duke (sophomore) (link)
  32. Saben Lee, G, Vanderbilt (junior) (link)
  33. Michael Lenoir, G, Creating Young Minds Academy (N/A) (link)
  34. Kira Lewis, G, Alabama (sophomore) (link)
  35. Nico Mannion, G, Arizona (freshman) (link)
  36. Naji Marshall, F, Xavier (junior) (link)
  37. Kenyon Martin Jr., F, IMG Academy (N/A) (link)
  38. Tyrese Maxey, G, Kentucky (freshman) (link)
  39. Jaden McDaniels, F, Washington (freshman) (link)
  40. Isiaha Mike, F, SMU (junior) (link)
  41. EJ Montgomery, F, Kentucky (sophomore) (link)
  42. Aaron Nesmith, G, Vanderbilt (sophomore) (link)
  43. Zeke Nnaji, F, Arizona (freshman) (link)
  44. Jordan Nwora, F, Louisville (junior) (link)
  45. Nikolaos Okekuoyen, C, Ridgeview Prep (N/A) (link)
  46. Onyeka Okongwu, F/C, USC (freshman) (link)
  47. Isaac Okoro, F, Auburn (freshman) (link)
  48. Daniel Oturu, C, Minnesota (sophomore) (link)
  49. Reggie Perry, F, Mississippi State (sophomore) (link)
  50. Nate Pierre-Louis, G, Temple (junior) (link)
  51. Immanuel Quickley, G, Kentucky (sophomore) (link)
  52. Jahmi’us Ramsey, G, Texas Tech (freshman) (link)
  53. Paul Reed, F, DePaul (junior) (link)
  54. Nick Richards, F/C, Kentucky (junior) (link)
  55. Jay Scrubb, G, John A. Logan College (sophomore) (link)
  56. Jalen Smith, F, Maryland (sophomore) (link)
  57. Cassius Stanley, G, Duke (freshman) (link)
  58. Isaiah Stewart, F/C, Washington (freshman) (link)
  59. Tyrell Terry, G, Stanford (freshman) (link)
  60. Xavier Tillman, F/C, Michigan State (junior) (link)
  61. Obi Toppin, F, Dayton (sophomore) (link)
  62. Jordan Tucker, F, Butler (sophomore) (link)
  63. Devin Vassell, G, Florida State (sophomore) (link)
  64. Nick Weatherspoon, G, Mississippi State (junior) (link)
  65. Kaleb Wesson, F/C, Ohio State (junior) (link)
  66. Kahlil Whitney, F, Kentucky (freshman) (link)
  67. Emmitt Williams, F, LSU (sophomore) (link)
  68. Patrick Williams, F, Florida State (freshman) (link)
  69. James Wiseman, C, Memphis (freshman) (link)
  70. Robert Woodard II, F, Mississippi State (sophomore) (link)
  71. Omer Yurtseven, C, Georgetown (junior) (link)

Withdrawing from draft after testing the waters:

  1. Jordyn Adams, G, Austin Peay (freshman) (link)
  2. Abdul Ado, C, Mississippi State (junior) (link)
  3. Timmy Allen, F, Utah (sophomore) (link)
  4. Derrick Alston Jr., F, Boise State (junior) (link)
  5. Joel Ayayi, G, Gonzaga (sophomore) (link)
  6. Jomaru Brown, G, Eastern Kentucky (sophomore) (link)
  7. Marcus Burk, G, IUPUI (junior) (link)
  8. Jordan Burns, G, Colgate (junior) (link)
  9. Jared Butler, G, Baylor (sophomore) (link)
  10. Manny Camper, G/F, Siena (junior) (link)
  11. Marcus Carr, G, Minnesota (sophomore) (link)
  12. Tamenang Choh, F, Brown (junior) (link)
  13. Kofi Cockburn, C, Illinois (freshman) (link)
  14. David Collins, G, South Florida (junior) (link)
  15. Zach Cooks, G, NJIT (junior) (link)
  16. Jalen Crutcher, G, Dayton (junior) (link)
  17. Ryan Daly, G, Saint Joseph’s (junior) (link)
  18. Darius Days, F, LSU (sophomore) (link)
  19. Dexter Dennis, G, Wichita State (sophomore) (link)
  20. Ayo Dosunmu, G, Illinois (sophomore) (link)
  21. Nojel Eastern, G, Purdue (junior) (link)
  22. Mason Faulkner, G, Western Carolina (junior) (link)
  23. LJ Figueroa, G, St. John’s (sophomore) (link)
  24. Blake Francis, G, Richmond (junior) (link)
  25. Hasahn French, F, Saint Louis (junior) (link)
  26. D.J. Funderburk, F, North Carolina State (junior) (link)
  27. Both Gach, G/F, Utah (sophomore) (link)
  28. Alonzo Gaffney, F, Ohio State (freshman) (link)
  29. Luka Garza, C, Iowa (junior) (link)
  30. Jacob Gilyard, G, Richmond (junior) (link)
  31. Grant Golden, F, Richmond (junior) (link)
  32. Jordan Goodwin, G, Saint Louis (junior) (link)
  33. Tony Goodwin II, G/F, Redemption Academy (N/A) (link)
  34. Jayvon Graves, G, Buffalo (junior) (link)
  35. AJ Green, G, Northern Iowa (sophomore) (link)
  36. Darin Green, G, UCF (freshman) (link)
  37. Aaron Henry, F, Michigan State (sophomore) (link)
  38. Jalen Hill, F/C, UCLA (sophomore) (link)
  39. Jay Huff, F, Virginia (junior) (link)
  40. Feron Hunt, F, SMU (sophomore) (link)
  41. Chance Hunter, G, Long Beach State (sophomore) (link)
  42. DeJon Jarreau, G, Houston (junior) (link)
  43. Damien Jefferson, G/F, Creighton (junior) (link)
  44. Jalen Johnson, F, Louisiana (junior) (link)
  45. Andre Jones, G, Nicholls State (junior) (link)
  46. Herbert Jones, F, Alabama (junior) (link)
  47. Corey Kispert, F, Gonzaga (junior) (link)
  48. Kameron Langley, G, North Carolina A&T (junior) (link)
  49. A.J. Lawson, G, South Carolina (sophomore) (link)
  50. Matt Lewis, G, James Madison (junior) (link)
  51. Isaiah Livers, F, Michigan (junior) (link)
  52. Denzel Mahoney, G, Creighton (junior) (link)
  53. Makur Maker, C, Hillcrest Academy (N/A) (link)
  54. Sandro Mamukelashvili, F, Seton Hall (junior) (link)
  55. Tre Mann, G, Florida (freshman) (link)
  56. Remy Martin, G, Arizona State (junior) (link)
  57. Mac McClung, G, Georgetown (sophomore) (link)
  58. Isaiah Miller, G, UNC Greensboro (junior) (link)
  59. Matt Mitchell, F, San Diego State (junior) (link)
  60. Andrew Nembhard, G, Florida (sophomore) (link)
  61. Obadiah Noel, G, UMass-Lowell (junior) (link)
  62. Elijah Olaniyi, G/F, Stony Brook (junior) (link)
  63. Filip Petrusev, F/C, Gonzaga (sophomore) (link)
    • Note: Petrusev withdrew from the draft, but will still go pro.
  64. John Petty, G, Alabama (junior) (link)
  65. Xavier Pinson, G, Missouri (sophomore) (link)
  66. Yves Pons, F, Tennessee (junior) (link)
  67. Darius Quisenberry, G, Youngstown State (sophomore) (link)
  68. Colbey Ross, G, Pepperdine (junior) (link)
  69. Fatts Russell, G, Rhode Island (junior) (link)
  70. Joe Saterfield, G/F, Ranger CC (freshman) (link)
  71. Aamir Simms, F, Clemson (junior) (link)
  72. Javonte Smart, G, LSU (sophomore) (link)
  73. Chris Smith, F, UCLA (junior) (link)
  74. Collin Smith, F/C, UCF (junior) (link)
  75. Justin Smith, F, Indiana (junior) (link)
  76. Mitchell Smith, F, Missouri (junior) (link)
  77. Stef Smith, G, Vermont (junior) (link)
  78. Ben Stanley, F, Hampton (sophomore) (link)
  79. Parker Stewart, G, UT Martin (sophomore) (link)
  80. Terry Taylor, G, Austin Peay (junior) (link)
  81. MaCio Teague, G, Baylor (junior) (link)
  82. Justin Thomas, G, Morehead State (junior) (link)
  83. Ethan Thompson, G, Oregon State (junior) (link)
  84. Jeremiah Tilmon, F, Missouri (junior) (link)
  85. Alonzo Verge Jr., G, Arizona State (junior) (link)
  86. Chris Vogt, C, Cincinnati (junior) (link)
  87. CJ Walker, G, Ohio State (junior) (link)
  88. Trendon Watford, F, LSU (freshman) (link)
  89. Ibi Watson, G, Dayton (junior) (link)
  90. Jarrod West, G, Marshall (junior) (link)
  91. Romello White, F, Arizona State (junior) (link)
  92. Deandre Williams, F, Evansville (sophomore) (link)
  93. Keith Williams, G, Cincinnati (junior) (link)
  94. McKinley Wright, G, Colorado (junior) (link)

International Players:

Note: The country indicates where the player had been playing, not necessarily where he was born.

  1. Deni Avdija, F, Israel (born 2001) (link)
  2. Adrian Bogucki, C, Poland (born 2000) (link)
  3. Leandro Bolmaro, F, Spain (born 2000) (link)
  4. Imru Duke, F, Spain (born 1999) (link)
  5. Paul Eboua, F, Italy (born 2000) (link)
  6. Killian Hayes, G, Germany (born 2001) (link)
  7. Vit Krejci, G, Spain (born 2000) (link)
  8. Yam Madar, G, Israel (born 2000) (link)
  9. Theo Maledon, G, France (born 2001) (link)
  10. Karim Mane, G, Canada (born 2000) (link)
  11. Aleksej Pokusevski, F, Greece (born 2001) (link)
  12. Marko Simonovic, C, Serbia (born 1999) (link)
  13. Mouhamed Thiam, C, France (born 2001) (link)

Withdrawing from draft after testing the waters:

  1. Berke Atar, C, Macedonia (born 1999) (link)
  2. Brancou Badio, F, Spain (born 1999) (link)
  3. Darko Bajo, F, Croatia (born 1999) (link)
  4. Philippe Bayehe, F, Italy (born 1999) (link)
  5. Marek Blazevic, C, Lithuania (born 2001) (link)
  6. Vinicius Da Silva, C, Spain (born 2001) (link)
  7. Henri Drell, G/F, Italy (born 2000) (link)
  8. Michele Ebeling, F, Italy (born 1999) (link)
  9. Osas Ehigiator, C, Spain (born 1999) (link)
  10. Joel Ekamba, G, France (born 2001) (link)
  11. Selim Fofana, G, Switzerland (born 1999) (link)
  12. Miguel Gonzalez, G/F, Spain (born 1999) (link)
  13. Sehmus Hazer, G, Turkey (born 1999) (link)
  14. Rokas Jokubaitis, G, Lithuania (born 2000) (link)
  15. Georgios Kalaitzakis, G, Lithuania (born 1999) (link)
  16. Arturs Kurucs, G, Latvia (born 2000) (link)
  17. Dut Mabor, C, Italy (born 2001) (link)
  18. Sergi Martinez, F, Spain (born 1999) (link)
  19. Nikola Miskovic, F, Serbia (born 1999) (link)
  20. Aristide Mouaha, G, Italy (born 2000) (link)
  21. Caio Pacheco, G, Argentina (born 1999) (link)
  22. Joel Parra, F, Spain (born 2000) (link)
  23. Sander Raieste, F, Estonia (born 1999) (link)
  24. Nikos Rogkavopoulos, F, Greece (born 2001) (link)
  25. Yigitcan Saybir, F, Turkey (born 1999) (link)
  26. Njegos Sikiras, F, Spain (born 1999) (link)
  27. Aboubacar Traore, G, Canada (born 2001) (link)
  28. Uros Trifunovic, G, Serbia (born 2000) (link)
  29. Arnas Velicka, G, Lithuania (born 1999) (link)
  30. Andrii Voinalovych, F, Ukraine (born 1999) (link)

Note: A number of other players, including LaMelo Ball and RJ Hampton, became automatically draft-eligible for 2020 as a result of playing professionally last season. However, the NBA didn’t publicly release the list of auto-eligible players, so we’re not including those names here, since there would be gaps in our list.

Hoops Rumors Originals: 3/15/20 – 3/21/20

Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team publishes original content to complement our news feed. Listed below are our original segments and features from the past seven days:

  • We explored what the lottery odds for the 2020 NBA draft look like if the season doesn’t resume.
  • We also explored which traded 2020 picks would and wouldn’t change hands based on the current league-wide standings.
  • Luke Adams explained everything you need to know about luxury tax penalties in the latest Hoops Rumors Glossary post.
  • He also examined the minimum salary exception, one of the NBA’s most commonly used cap exceptions.
  • Our Community Shootaround this week focused on the best NBA games to re-watch during the league’s hiatus.
  • Our poll question relates to whether the NBA should change its calendar in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Would you be in favor of shifting the entire NBA calendar back by roughly six-to-eight weeks on a permanent basis?
  • NFL free agency is continuing to push forward in the midst of this hiatus. Be sure to check out Pro Football Rumors to stay in the loop on all NFL-related updates.

Hoops Rumors Glossary: Luxury Tax Penalties

Although some NBA teams can become hard-capped during a given league year if they use specific exceptions or make certain transactions, the NBA doesn’t have a set hard cap for all teams. In addition to its soft cap though, the league does have a luxury tax threshold, which serves to discourage excessive spending. When a team’s total salary ends up over that line at season’s end, the NBA charges a tax for every extra dollar the club spends.

[RELATED: Recent History of NBA Taxpaying Teams]

The formula to determine the luxury tax line is a complicated one, related to the NBA’s projected basketball related income (BRI) and projected benefits. Generally though, it comes in around 20-22% above the salary cap line. For instance, in 2019/20, the league’s salary cap is set at $109,140,000, while the luxury tax threshold is at $132,627,000. So any team whose total ’19/20 salary exceeds $132,627,000 on the last day of the regular season is subject to a tax bill.

The NBA’s luxury tax system is set up so that the penalties become more punitive if teams go further beyond the tax line. Here’s what those penalties look like:

  • $0-5MM above tax line: $1.50 per dollar (up to $7.5MM).
  • $5-10MM above tax line: $1.75 per dollar (up to $8.75MM).
  • $10-15MM above tax line: $2.50 per dollar (up to $12.5MM).
  • $15-20MM above tax line: $3.25 per dollar (up to $16.25MM).
  • For every additional $5MM above tax line beyond $20MM, rates increase by $0.50 per dollar.
    • Note: This would mean $3.75 for $20-25MM, $4.25 for $25-30MM, etc.

For instance, if a team is over the tax by $12MM, its tax bill would be $21.25MM: $7.5MM for the first $5MM over the tax, $8.75MM for the $5-10MM bracket, then $5MM for the final increment in the $10-15MM bracket.

While those are the rates that apply to most taxpayers, including the Trail Blazers, Heat, and Timberwolves this season, a team can become subject to a “repeater” penalty if it paid the tax in three of the previous four seasons. This scenario currently applies to Oklahoma City — the Thunder were a taxpaying club in 2016, 2018, and 2019, which means they’ll be a repeat offender this season. Here are the penalties that apply to repeat taxpayers:

  • $0-5MM above tax line: $2.50 per dollar (up to $12.5MM).
  • $5-10MM above tax line: $2.75 per dollar (up to $13.75MM).
  • $10-15MM above tax line: $3.50 per dollar (up to $17.5MM).
  • $15-20MM above tax line: $4.25 per dollar (up to $21.25MM).
  • For every additional $5MM above tax line beyond $20MM, rates increase by $0.50 per dollar
    • Note: This would mean $4.75 for $20-25MM, $5.25 for $25-30MM, etc.

If the hypothetical team we described in our first example, over the tax by $12MM, was a repeat taxpayer, its bill would increase to $33.25MM.

Generally speaking, luxury tax penalties are calculated by determining a team’s total cap hits at the end of the regular season. So a team that starts the year above the tax line could get under it before the end of the season by completing trades or buyouts. The Warriors did just that in February, slipping below the luxury tax threshold by completing a series of trades that reduced their overall team salary.

[RELATED: Projected Taxpaying Teams For 2019/20]

However, team salary for tax purposes is calculated slightly differently than it is for cap purposes. Here are a few of the adjustments made at season’s end before a team’s tax bill is calculated:

  • Cap holds and exceptions are ignored.
  • “Likely” bonuses that weren’t earned are removed from team salary; “unlikely” bonuses that were earned are added to team salary.
  • If a player with a trade bonus is acquired after the final regular season game, that trade bonus is added to team salary.
  • If a player with 0-1 years of NBA experience signed a minimum-salary free agent contract, the minimum-salary cap charge for a two-year veteran is used in place of that player’s cap charge.
    • Note: This only applies to free agents, not drafted players. For example, Raptors rookies Dewan Hernandez (second-round pick) and Terence Davis (UDFA) are each earning $898,310 in 2019/20. Hernandez would count for $898,310 for tax purposes, while Davis would count for $1,620,564.

So let’s say that five teams finish the season owing a total of $50MM in taxes. Where does that money go? Currently, the NBA splits it 50/50 — half of it is used for “league purposes,” while the other half is distributed to non-taxpaying teams in equal shares. In that scenario, the 25 non-taxpaying teams would receive $1MM apiece.

As cap expert Larry Coon explains in his CBA FAQ, “league purposes” essentially covers any purpose the NBA deems appropriate, including giving the money back to teams. In recent years, the NBA has used that money as a funding source for its revenue sharing program. Coon also notes that the CBA technically allows up to 50% of tax money to be distributed to non-taxpaying teams, but there’s no obligation for that to happen — in other words, the NBA could decide to use 100% of the tax money for “league purposes.”

Note: This is a Hoops Rumors Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to trades, free agency, or other aspects of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ was used in the creation of this post.

Earlier versions of this post was published in 2012 and 2018.

Community Shootaround: NBA Games To Rewatch

With no new games to watch as the NBA continues its coronavirus-related suspension, the league announced this week that it’s making League Pass available for a free trial through at least April 22.

That means that NBA fans will have the opportunity to rewatch any games from the 2018/19 or 2019/20 seasons, along with a few dozen games from previous seasons deemed to be classics.

With that in mind, a panel of ESPN writers picked out 30 games – one for each team – worth rewatching from the last two seasons, including the Celtics‘ double-overtime win over the Clippers last month, the Rockets‘ 159-158 win over the Wizards earlier in the season, Kawhi Leonard‘s first return to San Antonio last season, and several memorable playoff games from the 2019 postseason.

ESPN’s list is a good start, but it’s hardly exhaustive. So we want to open up the conversation to you.

Are you taking advantage of the free League Pass preview? If so, which games from the last two seasons are you watching first? Which of the league’s classic games are you curious to rewatch or perhaps check out for the first time? And which games would be your all-time top picks for rewatching, regardless of NBA League Pass availability?

Hoops Rumors Glossary: Minimum Salary Exception

The minimum salary exception is something of a last resort for capped-out teams looking to add players, as well as for players seeking NBA contracts, but it’s one of the most commonly used cap exceptions. It allows an over-the-cap team to sign a player to a one- or two-year minimum-salary deal, as its name suggests.

Teams can use the exception multiple times in a league year, giving clubs that have used all of their cap room and other exceptions an avenue to fill out their rosters. The exception also accommodates teams’ acquisitions of minimum-salary players via trade, as players signed via the minimum salary exception don’t count as incoming salary for salary-matching purposes.

Players are entitled to varying minimum salaries based on how long they’ve been in the NBA. In 2019/20, a player with no prior NBA experience was eligible for a $898,310 minimum salary, while a player with 10 or more years of experience was eligible for $2,564,753.

[RELATED: NBA Minimum Salaries For 2019/20]

Over the course of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, the minimum salary will be adjusted each season to reflect the year-to-year salary cap change. For instance, if the cap increases by 5%, so will minimum salaries.

There’s a wide disparity between the minimum salary for rookies and for long-tenured players, with a minimum-salary veteran of 10+ seasons earning nearly three times as much as a rookie making the minimum next season. The NBA doesn’t want those pricier deals to discourage clubs from signing veterans, however, so the league reimburses teams for a portion of a minimum-salary player’s cost if he has three or more years of experience, as long as the contract is a one-year deal.

For example, when the Lakers signed 15-year veteran Dwight Howard to a one-year pact for 2019/20 using the minimum salary exception, the contract called for a salary of $2,564,753, but the team’s cap hit was just $1,620,564. The league would reimburse the Lakers for the remaining $944,189 at season’s end.

Most salary cap exceptions can only be used once each season. For example, when a team uses its full mid-level exception to sign one or more players, the club can no longer use that exception until the following season. Unlike the mid-level and other cap exceptions though, the minimum salary exception can be used any number of times in a single season. The Lakers, for instance, used the minimum salary exception to sign Jared Dudley and Troy Daniels in addition to Howard.

While many exceptions begin to prorate on January 10, the minimum salary exception prorates from the first day of the regular season. The season is typically 177 days long, so if a player signs after 28 days have passed, he would only be paid for 149 days.

That’s what happened this season with Carmelo Anthony, who joined the Trail Blazers via the minimum salary exception on November 19, the 29th day of the regular season, making his salary and cap hit 149/177ths of their usual amounts. Instead of a $1,620,564 cap charge for Portland, Anthony’s cap charge is $1,364,204. His salary is $2,159,029 instead of $2,564,753.

Here are a few more notes on the minimum salary exception:

  • Players signed using the minimum salary exception are eligible for trade bonuses, but not incentive bonuses. A minimum-salary player with a trade bonus cannot be acquired in a trade using the minimum salary exception unless he waives that bonus.
  • A minimum-salary player also can’t be acquired in a trade using the minimum salary exception if his contract is for more than two years or if his salary exceeded the minimum in any previous year of the contract.
  • When a minimum-salary player is traded during the season, any reimbursement from the NBA is split between his two teams. It’s prorated based on the number of days he spends with each club.
  • If a minimum-salary player with a non-guaranteed salary is waived before he exceeds the minimum for a two-year veteran, his team won’t be reimbursed for any portion of his salary.
  • Virtually every 10-day contract is for the minimum salary — often the minimum salary exception is the only way for clubs to accommodate any 10-day deals. The NBA also reimburses teams for a portion of the 10-day minimum salary for veterans with three or more years of experience. We have more details here.

Note: This is a Hoops Rumors Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to trades, free agency, or other aspects of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ and the Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

Earlier versions of this post were published in previous years by Luke Adams and Chuck Myron. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Where Traded Draft Picks Would Land If Season Doesn’t Resume

Earlier today, we explored what the lottery odds for the 2020 NBA draft would look like if the regular season doesn’t resume. We’re now applying that hypothetical to another aspect of the draft and examining which traded 2020 picks would and wouldn’t change hands based on the current standings.

Our projections below assume that the NBA will sort its standings by winning percentage in scenarios where teams haven’t played the same number of games this season. Again, this is just a hypothetical exercise — if the season resumes, the order below would likely change.

With that in mind and with the help of our reverse standings, let’s take a closer look at where this year’s traded draft picks would land if the NBA has played its last regular season game of 2019/20.


First round:

  1. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Nets)
  2. Boston Celtics (from Grizzlies)
  3. Brooklyn Nets (from Sixers)
    • Note: Could be No. 20 depending on random tiebreaker.
  4. Milwaukee Bucks (from Pacers)
    • Note: Could be No. 19 depending on random tiebreaker.
  5. Philadelphia 76ers (from Thunder)
    • Note: Could be No. 22 depending on random tiebreaker.
  6. Denver Nuggets (from Rockets)
    • Note: Could be No. 21 depending on random tiebreaker.
  7. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Nuggets)
  8. New York Knicks (from Clippers)
  9. Boston Celtics (from Bucks)

Protected picks:

  • Golden State Warriors (to Nets; top-20 protected)
  • Cleveland Cavaliers (to Pelicans; top-20 protected)
  • Utah Jazz (to Grizzlies; top-7 and 15-30 protected)

Notes:

  • The Thunder pick would be the one worth watching closest if the season does resume. It’s top-20 protected, so OKC would keep it if it were to move up a spot or two, sending the Sixers second-round picks in 2022 and 2023 instead.

Second round:

  1. Dallas Mavericks (from Warriors)
  2. Charlotte Hornets (from Cavaliers)
  3. Philadelphia 76ers (from Hawks)
  4. Sacramento Kings (from Pistons)
  5. Philadelphia 76ers (from Knicks)
  6. Washington Wizards (from Bulls)
  7. New York Knicks (from Hornets)
  8. New Orleans Pelicans (from Wizards)
  9. Memphis Grizzlies (from Suns)
  10. Boston Celtics (from Nets)
  11. Chicago Bulls (from Grizzlies)
  12. Golden State Warriors (from Mavericks)
  13. Atlanta Hawks (from Rockets)
    • Note: Could be No. 51 depending on random tiebreaker.
  14. Sacramento Kings (from Heat)
  15. Golden State Warriors (from Jazz)
  16. Brooklyn Nets (from Nuggets)
  17. Charlotte Hornets (from Celtics)
  18. Philadelphia 76ers (from Lakers)
  19. New Orleans Pelicans (from Bucks)

Protected picks:

  • Indiana Pacers (to Nets; 45-60 protected)
  • Portland Trail Blazers (to Nets; top-55 protected)

Notes:

  • The Hawks will receive the more favorable of Houston’s and Miami’s second-round picks, while the Kings will receive the less favorable of those two picks. Those two picks could end up right next to one another, since the Rockets (40-24) and Heat (41-24) have nearly identical records.
  • The Celtics’ pick looks like it will be one of the rare second-rounders with heavy protection that will actually change hands. Boston would have kept it if it had fallen in the top 53.

Community Shootaround: Monumental Star Movement

Earlier today, we saw NFL legend Tom Brady change teams, opting to take his talents to Tampa Bay (be sure to check out our sister site Pro Football Rumors for the latest during NFL free agency).

The NBA has seen many great star players change teams in recent years. LeBron James did it three times, leaving the Cavaliers for the Heat, the Heat for the Cavs, and then the Cavs for the Lakers.

Some have compared the Brady signing to LeBron’s move, while others have matched it up with Michael Jordan joining the Wizards in the early 2000s. Brady is the greatest QB to play football and many consider Jordan the best to ever play basketball. Yet, the comparison of the two moves doesn’t go much further than that. Jordan came out of retirement to play for Washington while Brady just came off a season where he led his team to a division title and a playoff berth.

That leads us to tonight’s question: Where does Brady moving to Tampa Bay rank in terms of monumental moves among star players and what NBA move would you compare it to? Is it bigger than LeBron going to Miami or – with the 43-year-old quarterback on the last leg of his career – is the signing not as colossal?

Take to the comment section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say!

What 2020 Lottery Odds Would Look Like If Season Doesn’t Resume

While the NBA hopes that resuming the 2019/20 season will be possible, there are scenarios in which the league could proceed directly to the postseason or has to cancel the rest of the ’19/20 campaign entirely. If such measures are necessary, it would mean that the NBA’s current standings will be its final standings.

It’s tricky to say exactly what that would mean for an event like the 2020 NBA draft, which hinges in large part on the previous season’s standings. After all, some teams have played as few as 64 games, while others have played as many as 67.

Teams like the Hawks (20-47) and Cavaliers (19-46) are an equal number of games back of the clubs ahead of them the standings, but Atlanta has the better winning percentage. Presumably, that would mean Cleveland moves ahead of the Hawks in the projected draft order and for lottery odds purposes. Based on winning percentage, the Cavs would also have better lottery positioning than the Timberwolves (19-45), despite having the same number of wins.

With that in mind, we’re looking today at what the lottery odds would be if the NBA’s regular season doesn’t resume and the league ranks its teams by winning percentage. It’s a hypothetical exercise, but one which could become increasingly relevant the longer the league’s hiatus extends.

For a full breakdown of how the NBA draft lottery works, be sure to check out our glossary entry on the subject. The standard odds chart for the new draft lottery format is included in our glossary entry, but the numbers in that chart don’t quite match up with 2020’s lottery, since the Kings and Pelicans currently have identical records. That tie would impact the odds for this year’s lottery.

With the help of our reverse standings and data from Tankathon.com – which is worth bookmarking for all sorts of draft-related info – we’ve listed the new, hypothetical odds for 2020 in the chart below.

The numbers in the chart indicate percentages, so the Warriors, for example, have a 14% chance of landing the No. 1 pick and a 47.9% chance of ending up at No. 5. If a team’s odds are listed as >0, that percentage is below 0.1%.

Here’s the full chart:

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
GSW 14 13.4 12.7 12 47.9
CLE 14 13.4 12.7 12 27.8 20
MIN 14 13.4 12.7 12 14.8 26 7.1
ATL 12.5 12.2 11.9 11.5 7.2 25.7 16.8 2.2
DET 10.5 10.5 10.6 10.5 2.2 19.6 26.7 8.8 0.6
NYK 9 9.2 9.4 9.6 8.6 29.6 20.6 3.8 0.2
CHI 7.5 7.8 8.1 8.5 19.7 34.1 12.9 1.3 >0
CHA 6 6.3 6.7 7.2 34.5 32.1 6.7 0.4 >0
WSH 4.5 4.8 5.2 5.7 50.7 25.9 3 0.1 >0
PHX 3 3.3 3.6 4 65.9 18.9 1.2 >0 >0
SAS 2 2.2 2.4 2.8 77.6 12.6 0.4 >0
SAC* 1.3 1.4 1.6 1.8 86.1 7.6 0.1
NOP* 1.2 1.3 1.5 1.7 92.0 2.3
POR 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.7 97.6

* The Kings and Pelicans have matching 28-36 records and would be subject to a random tiebreaker to determine which team gets the No. 12 slot and which gets No. 13. Their spots in this list (and their odds) could be flipped.

Check Out Pro Football Rumors For NFL Offseason Updates

None of North America’s major sports leagues are currently playing games, but the NFL is in the midst of one of its biggest weeks of the year, and Pro Football Rumors is covering all the action.

The NFL’s free agency period kicked off on Monday with a series of agreements on major deals, including the Texans trading DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals, the Vikings sending Stefon Diggs to the Bills, and Amari Cooper reaching a $100MM deal with the Cowboys.

Tuesday began with Tom Brady dropping a bombshell, announcing that his time with the Patriots has come to an end. Brady’s eventual landing spot is one of the biggest NFL offseason questions still to be answered, but Pro Football Rumors is keeping tabs on every potential roster move, big and small.

If you’re suffering from NBA rumor withdrawal and you’re an NFL fan, be sure to follow PFR (@pfrumors on Twitter) for all the latest offseason updates.