Offseason Salary Cap Digest

2018 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Denver Nuggets

May 8th, 2018 at 1:47pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets went all-in during 2017’s free agent period, locking up Paul Millsap to a multiyear deal that would pay him in the neighborhood of $30MM annually. In signing Millsap and extending Gary Harris, the Nuggets essentially forfeited any cap flexibility they would’ve had for the summer of 2018, but that aggressive spending didn’t result in a playoff berth in a competitive Western Conference. Denver will head into the 2018/19 campaign hoping that better health from Millsap and continued improvements from its young players will produce better results.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Nuggets financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:

Guaranteed Salary

Paul Millsap ($29,730,769)
Gary Harris ($16,517,857)
Kenneth Faried ($13,764,045)
Mason Plumlee ($12,917,808)
Jamal Murray ($3,499,800)
Trey Lyles ($3,364,249)
Juan Hernangomez ($2,166,360)
Tyler Lydon ($1,874,640)
Malik Beasley ($1,773,840)
Total: $85,609,368

Player Options

Wilson Chandler ($12,800,562)
Darrell Arthur ($7,464,912)
Total: $20,265,474

Team Options

Nikola Jokic ($1,600,520)
Total: $1,600,520

Non-Guaranteed Salary

None

Restricted Free Agents

None

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Devin Harris ($8,364,837): Bird rights
Will Barton ($6,713,333): Bird rights
No. 14 overall pick ($2,869,353)¹
Richard Jefferson ($1,499,698): Non-Bird rights
Total: $16,823,817

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Projected Cap Room: None

Even if Chandler turns down his player option, Arthur is a virtual lock to exercise his, and Jokic will be back — either on his cheap team-option salary or on a lucrative new deal to avoid having him reach unrestricted free agency in 2019. With their nine guaranteed contracts, Arthur’s player option, Jokic’s team option, and the cap hold for their lottery pick, the Nuggets already have a total team salary of $97,544,153, essentially eliminating cap room.
If Chandler opts in and the Nuggets want to sign Jokic to a new contract this summer, the team projects to be way over the cap, and may have to make a trade or two to avoid blowing past the luxury-tax line.

Footnotes:

The Nuggets are 14th in the draft lottery standings. They could technically end up picking at No. 1 ($8,095,595), No. 2 ($7,243,344), or No. 3 ($6,504,619), though that’s unlikely.

Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

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

2018 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Los Angeles Clippers

May 7th, 2018 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

A year ago at this time, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan were all still members of the Clippers. Now, Paul and Griffin are long gone, and it’s possible that Jordan – who holds a player option – will follow them out the door. The Clippers are in the midst of a transition period, and while they still don’t project to have a ton of cap room this summer, parting ways with Paul and Griffin created some long-term flexibility.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Clippers financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:

Guaranteed Salary

Danilo Gallinari ($21,587,579)
Tobias Harris ($14,800,000)
Lou Williams ($8,000,000)
Boban Marjanovic ($7,000,000)
Sam Dekker ($2,760,095)
Jawun Evans ($1,378,242)
Sindarius Thornwell ($1,378,242)
Carlos Delfino ($650,000) — Waived via stretch provision
Miroslav Raduljica ($252,043) — Waived via stretch provision
Total: $57,806,201

Player Options

DeAndre Jordan ($24,119,025)
Austin Rivers ($12,650,000)
Milos Teodosic ($6,300,000)
Wesley Johnson ($6,134,520): Will be exercised
Total: $49,203,545

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Patrick Beverley ($5,027,028)
C.J. Williams ($1,378,242)¹
Total: $6,405,270

Restricted Free Agents

Montrezl Harrell ($1,839,228 qualifying offer / $1,839,228 cap hold): Bird rights
Total: $1,839,228

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Avery Bradley ($13,213,484): Bird rights
No. 12 overall pick ($3,179,248)²
No. 13 overall pick ($3,020,246)³
Total: $19,412,978

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Projected Cap Room: $13,182,757

With four veterans holding player options, there are a number of potential scenarios in play for the Clippers’ cap outlook this summer. For our cap projection, we’ve counted the team’s seven guaranteed salaries, Beverley’s non-guaranteed salary, cap holds for the two lottery picks, and Rivers’ and Johnson’s player-option salaries. The Clips’ total team salary in that scenario is $87,817,243.
This projection assumes that Jordan and Teodosic both opt out, which is far from a lock. If either player opts in, L.A. will most likely operate as an over-the-cap team, barring other trades and/or cuts.
If they want to clear as much cap room as possible for a run at a star, the Clippers could technically get up to about $33.7MM without trading or stretching guaranteed salaries. However, that would mean trading their first-round picks, waiving Beverley, and counting on all three of Jordan, Rivers, and Teodosic to opt out. That’s probably not realistic.

Footnotes:

Williams’ exact contract details, including guarantee info, aren’t yet known.
This pick, acquired from the Pistons, is top-three protected, so the Clippers would lose it if it jumps into the top three in the draft lottery. It could also end up as low as No. 14 ($2,869,353).
The Clippers are 13th in the draft lottery standings. They could end up picking as high as No. 1 ($8,095,595) and as low as No. 14 ($2,869,353).

Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

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

2018 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Detroit Pistons

May 6th, 2018 at 10:00pm CST by Luke Adams

A midseason blockbuster for Blake Griffin didn’t lead to immediate results for the Pistons, but the team will look to the Pelicans as a reason for hope going forward — New Orleans’ trade-deadline acquisition of DeMarcus Cousins didn’t really pay dividends until year two. With a nucleus of Griffin, Andre Drummond, and Reggie Jackson, there’s some reason for optimism in Detroit heading into 2018/19 — as long as those stars can stay healthy.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Pistons financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:

Guaranteed Salary

Blake Griffin ($32,088,932)
Andre Drummond ($25,434,263)
Reggie Jackson ($17,043,478)
Jon Leuer ($10,002,681)
Langston Galloway ($7,000,000)
Ish Smith ($6,000,000)
Josh Smith ($5,331,729) — Waived via stretch provision
Stanley Johnson ($3,940,402)
Luke Kennard ($3,275,280)
Henry Ellenson ($1,857,480)
Total: $111,974,245

Player Options

None

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Reggie Bullock ($2,500,000)¹
Eric Moreland ($1,826,300)²
Dwight Buycks ($1,600,520)³
Total: $5,926,820

Restricted Free Agents

None

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Anthony Tolliver ($3,948,000): Non-Bird rights
James Ennis ($3,936,933): Early Bird rights
Jameer Nelson ($1,499,698): Non-Bird rights
Total: $9,384,631

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Projected Cap Room: None

With or without Griffin’s mammoth salary on their cap, the Pistons wouldn’t have had any space this summer, since the contracts for Tobias Harris and Boban Marjanovic run through 2018/19. With Griffin on the books though, Detroit projects to be way over the cap, with a total team salary starting at $114,468,178 — that accounts for the Pistons’ nine guaranteed contracts, plus cap charges for three empty roster spots.

Footnotes:

Bullock’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 15.
Moreland’s salary becomes guaranteed for $750K after July 8. There are additional partial guarantees of $250K apiece after September 1 and after the first game of the regular season.
Buycks’ salary becomes fully guaranteed after September 1.

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

2018 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Charlotte Hornets

May 4th, 2018 at 6:44pm CST by Luke Adams

After yo-yoing back and forth between the postseason and the lottery during Steve Clifford‘s first four years with the club, the Hornets failed to bounce back in Clifford’s fifth year, enduring a second straight 36-46 season. That disappointing outcome resulted in the ouster of both Clifford and GM Rich Cho, so Charlotte will head into the 2018/19 league year with a new management team and head coach in place as the club mulls its next moves.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Hornets financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:

Guaranteed Salary

Nicolas Batum ($24,000,000)
Dwight Howard ($23,819,725)
Marvin Williams ($14,087,500)
Cody Zeller ($13,528,090)
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist ($13,000,000)
Kemba Walker ($12,000,000)
Jeremy Lamb ($7,488,372)
Frank Kaminsky ($3,627,842)
Malik Monk ($3,447,480)
Willy Hernangomez ($1,544,951)
Dwayne Bacon ($1,378,242)
Total: $117,922,202

Player Options

None

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Julyan Stone ($1,656,092)¹
Total: $1,656,092

Restricted Free Agents

Treveon Graham ($1,699,698 qualifying offer / $1,699,698 cap hold): Early Bird rights
Total: $1,699,698

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

No. 11 overall pick ($3,346,518)²
Michael Carter-Williams ($3,240,000): Non-Bird rights
Total: $6,586,518

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Projected Cap Room: None

With 11 of their 14 current players still on guaranteed contracts next year, the Hornets don’t have a whole lot of flexibility. Adding those 11 salaries to the team’s cap hold for its lottery pick works out to a total team salary of $121,268,720, which is well above the cap and may be right around the tax line. While new GM Mitch Kupchak will almost certainly look to reduce that figure this summer, creating any short-term cap room is unlikely.

Footnotes:

Stone’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after August 1.
The Hornets are 11th in the draft lottery standings. They’ll likely have the No. 11 selection, but could end up picking as high as No. 1 ($8,095,595) and as low as No. 14 ($2,869,353).

Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

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

2018 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Los Angeles Lakers

May 3rd, 2018 at 1:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Since Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka assumed control of the Lakers’ front office early in 2017, they’ve been hoarding cap room for the summer of 2018, signing free agents to one-year contracts last offseason and acquiring players on expiring deals at the trade deadline. It’s not a lock that the Lakers use all that cap room on long-term signings this summer, but that will be one of several scenarios on the table for the franchise as it resumes its pursuit of star players.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Lakers financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:

Guaranteed Salary

Luol Deng ($18,000,000)
Lonzo Ball ($7,461,960)
Brandon Ingram ($5,757,120)
Kyle Kuzma ($1,689,840)
Josh Hart ($1,655,160)
Total: $34,564,080

Player Options

None

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Tyler Ennis ($1,656,092)¹
Ivica Zubac ($1,544,951)²
Thomas Bryant ($1,378,242)³
Total: $4,579,285

Restricted Free Agents

Julius Randle ($5,564,134 qualifying offer / $12,447,726 cap hold): Bird rights
Travis Wear ($1,699,698 qualifying offer / $1,699,698 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
Andre Ingram ($1,537,872 qualifying offer / $1,537,872 cap hold): Non-Bird rights
Total: $15,685,296

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Brook Lopez ($33,963,525): Bird rights
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($21,295,073): Non-Bird rights
Channing Frye ($14,099,733): Bird rights
Isaiah Thomas ($11,896,651): Bird rights
No. 25 overall pick ($1,746,957)
Total: $83,001,939

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Projected Cap Room: $48,084,682

A handful of wild cards will impact how much cap room the Lakers have – or need – this summer. Will they waive and stretch Deng? Will they re-sign Randle or any other free agents? Will they bring back players on non-guaranteed contracts? For our projection, we’ve assumed they keep all five players on guaranteed contracts along with cap holds for Randle, their first-round pick, and five empty roster spots. That results in a total team salary of $52,915,318.
If landing two star free agents looks like a realistic possibility, Los Angeles could create the room necessary for a pair of max contracts. For instance, by waiving and stretching Deng, renouncing Randle, and trading their first-round pick, the Lakers could create $70,423,432 in space. Ultimately, their approach to the offseason may be dictated by how their conversations with those top free agents go.

Footnotes:

Ennis’ salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 5.
Zubac’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.
Bryant’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 5.

Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

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

2018 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: New York Knicks

May 2nd, 2018 at 3:27pm CST by Luke Adams

While their $72MM investment in Joakim Noah back in 2016 stands out as the Knicks’ worst use of cap room in recent years, the team’s use of its space in 2017 was also questionable — a massive offer sheet for Tim Hardaway Jr. ate up most of New York’s flexibility, and the club’s room exception went to Ron Baker. A year later, the Knicks won’t have as much money to spend, and that should be just fine. With Kristaps Porzingis‘ recovery from a torn ACL expected to sideline him for the start of the 2018/19 season, New York shouldn’t be focused on win-now moves in the coming months.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Knicks financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:

Guaranteed Salary

Joakim Noah ($18,530,000)
Tim Hardaway Jr. ($17,325,000)
Courtney Lee ($12,253,780)
Lance Thomas ($7,119,650)
Kristaps Porzingis ($5,697,054)
Emmanuel Mudiay ($4,294,480)
Frank Ntilikina ($4,155,720)
Damyean Dotson ($1,378,242)
Total: $70,753,926

Player Options

Enes Kanter ($18,622,514)
Ron Baker ($4,544,400)
Kyle O’Quinn ($4,256,250)
Total: $27,423,164

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Trey Burke ($1,795,015)¹
Troy Williams ($1,544,951)²
Total: $3,339,966

Restricted Free Agents

None

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

No. 9 overall pick ($3,708,089)³
Michael Beasley ($1,499,698): Non-Bird rights
Jarrett Jack ($1,499,698): Non-Bird rights
Total: $6,707,485

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Projected Cap Room: None

There are a number of variables in play when it comes to cap space for the Knicks. Our projection assumes that Kanter and Baker will pick up their player options and that the team will retain all 10 players currently under contract – including the non-guaranteed deals – along with its first-round pick. Combining all those cap hits would take team salary to almost exactly $101MM.
There are scenarios in which the Knicks could create room. Kanter opting out and not re-signing would remove $18.6MM+ from the team’s books, and waiving and stretching Noah would trim team salary by another $11MM or so. Still, I think the Knicks are more likely to make an effort to open up cap space in 2019 than in 2018.

Footnotes:

Burke’s salary becomes guaranteed for $100K after July 10 and guaranteed for $400K after the first game of the 2018/19 regular season.
Williams’ exact contract details, including guarantee info, aren’t yet known.
The Knicks are ninth in the draft lottery standings. They could end up picking as high as No. 1 ($8,095,595) and as low as No. 12 ($3,179,248).

Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

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

2018 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Brooklyn Nets

May 1st, 2018 at 12:40pm CST by Luke Adams

After another bid for a restricted free agent (Otto Porter) fell short, the Nets continued to use their cap room to take on other teams’ unwanted contracts during the 2017 offseason, adding Allen Crabbe, Timofey Mozgov, and DeMarre Carroll. Having lost control of so many lottery picks thanks to their infamous trade with the Celtics, the Nets were able to acquire a recent second overall pick in D’Angelo Russell by taking on Mozgov, and landed an extra first-round pick by absorbing Carroll. It will be trickier for Brooklyn to take a similar approach during the 2018 offseason though, with the club’s cap room dwindling.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Nets financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:

Guaranteed Salary

Allen Crabbe ($18,500,000)
Timofey Mozgov ($16,000,000)
DeMarre Carroll ($15,400,000)
Jeremy Lin ($12,516,746)
D’Angelo Russell ($7,019,698)
Deron Williams ($5,474,787) — Waived via stretch provision
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson ($2,470,357)
Jarrett Allen ($2,034,120)
Caris LeVert ($1,702,800)
Total: $81,118,508

Player Options

None

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Spencer Dinwiddie ($1,656,092)¹
Isaiah Whitehead ($1,544,951)²
Total: $3,201,043

Restricted Free Agents

Nik Stauskas ($4,333,931 qualifying offer / $11,421,441 cap hold): Bird rights
Total: $11,421,441

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Jahlil Okafor ($6,313,832): Bird rights
Randy Foye ($3,000,000): Non-Bird rights³
Dante Cunningham ($2,760,000): Non-Bird rights
No. 29 overall pick ($1,618,324)
Quincy Acy ($1,499,698): Early Bird rights
Joe Harris ($1,499,698): Early Bird rights
Total: $16,691,552

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Projected Cap Room: $13,562,427

Our Nets cap projection includes the eight players on guaranteed contracts, the two non-guaranteed contracts, and the cap holds for Harris and the team’ first-round pick. That results in a total team salary of $87,437,573. Waiving Whitehead or renouncing Harris would create a little more cap room, though the difference would be pretty marginal. Any path to more significant space would have to be involved trades or cuts.

Footnotes:

Dinwiddie’s salary becomes guaranteed for $250K after October 31.
Whitehead’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.
Foye’s cap hold remains on the Nets’ books because he didn’t sign a new contract after reaching free agency in 2017. The team could renounce this hold at any time.

Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

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

2018 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Sacramento Kings

April 30th, 2018 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

The Kings entered the 2017/18 season looking set to straddle the line between developing young players like De’Aaron Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Buddy Hield, and potentially pushing for the eighth seed in the West led by veterans like George Hill. However, Hill struggled mightily in Sacramento and the team quickly fell out of contention, shifting the focus exclusively to player development by the second half. Barring an unexpected splash in free agency this summer, the focus will likely remain on those young prospects heading into 2018/19.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Kings financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:

Guaranteed Salary

Zach Randolph ($11,692,308)
Bogdan Bogdanovic ($9,000,000)
De’Aaron Fox ($5,470,920)
Willie Cauley-Stein ($4,696,875)
Buddy Hield ($3,833,760)
Justin Jackson ($2,807,880)
Harry Giles ($2,207,040)
Matt Barnes ($2,133,542) — Waived via stretch provision
Georgios Papagiannis ($2,000,400) — Waived
Skal Labissiere ($1,544,951)
Frank Mason ($1,378,242)
Caron Butler ($517,219) — Waived via stretch provision
Total: $47,283,137

Player Options

Iman Shumpert ($11,011,234)
Kosta Koufos ($8,739,500)
Garrett Temple ($8,000,000)
Total: $27,750,734

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Nigel Hayes ($1,378,242)¹
Total: $1,378,242

Restricted Free Agents

Bruno Caboclo ($3,512,605 qualifying offer / $7,353,675 cap hold): Bird rights
Total: $7,353,675

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

Vince Carter ($9,600,000): Non-Bird rights
No. 7 overall pick ($4,403,246)²
Total: $14,003,246

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Projected Cap Room: $21,562,883

Our cap projection for the Kings includes their nine guaranteed contracts, the cap hold for their lottery pick, and all three player options. While it’s possible that one or more of Shumpert, Koufos, or Temple opts out to explore free agency, they seem unlikely to top their player-option salaries for 2018/19, making them decent bets to opt in. Taking into account all those salaries and cap holds, and assuming all free agents are renounced, the Kings’ total team salary adds up to $79,437,117.
If any of those player options are declined, or the Kings make a trade or two, they could create more cap room. However, the club doesn’t look ready to contend, and may exercise restraint in free agency after last year’s big veteran investment (Hill) backfired.

Footnotes:

Hayes’ exact contract details, including guarantee info, aren’t yet known.
The Kings are seventh in the draft lottery standings. They could end up picking as high as No. 1 ($8,095,595) or as low as No. 10 ($3,522,533).

Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

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

2018 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Chicago Bulls

April 29th, 2018 at 3:40pm CST by Luke Adams

No NBA team had a lower projected win total than the Bulls entering the 2017/18 season, but Chicago didn’t look too bad in the first half, picking up victories behind the solid play of guys like Kris Dunn, Bobby Portis, Lauri Markkanen, and Nikola Mirotic. Trading Mirotic and benching some veterans helped keep the Bulls’ win total in check as they continued their rebuild, but that early-season hot streak means they’ll need some draft-lottery luck to nab a top-five pick.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Bulls financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:

Guaranteed Salary

Robin Lopez ($14,357,750)
Omer Asik ($11,286,516)
Cristiano Felicio ($8,470,980)
Lauri Markkanen ($4,536,120)
Justin Holiday ($4,384,616)
Kris Dunn ($4,221,000)
Cameron Payne ($3,263,294)
Jerian Grant ($2,639,314)
Bobby Portis ($2,494,346)
Denzel Valentine ($2,280,600)
Total: $57,934,536

Player Options

None

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Sean Kilpatrick ($2,054,856)¹
Paul Zipser ($1,544,951)²
Total: $3,599,807

Restricted Free Agents

Noah Vonleh ($4,333,931 qualifying offer / $10,515,698 cap hold): Bird rights
Zach LaVine ($4,333,931 qualifying offer / $9,606,654 cap hold): Bird rights
David Nwaba ($1,699,698 qualifying offer / $1,699,698 cap hold): Early Bird rights
Total: $21,822,050

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

No. 6 overall pick ($4,823,489)³
No. 22 overall pick ($1,974,488)
Total: $6,797,977

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Projected Cap Room: $26,660,833

Our cap projection for the Bulls includes the amount of their 10 guaranteed contracts, cap holds for their two first-round picks, and LaVine’s cap hold, since the Bulls are viewed as a near-lock to bring him back. That result in a total team salary of $74,339,167.
Even if they bring back a couple other players, the Bulls should have plenty of cap room to work with. However, retaining Kilpatrick, Nwaba, and LaVine and keeping both their first-round picks would add up to 15 players, assuming the team doesn’t trade or release any of its 10 players with guaranteed contracts. Given their roster constraints and the fact that they’re still in the midst of a rebuild, the Bulls seem unlikely to be very aggressive in free agency.

Footnotes:

Kilpatrick’s exact contract details, including guarantee info, aren’t yet known.
Zipser’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 18.
The Bulls are sixth in the draft lottery standings. They could end up picking as high as No. 1 ($8,095,595) and as low as No. 9 ($3,708,089).

Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

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

2018 NBA Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Orlando Magic

April 27th, 2018 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic’s seemingly endless rebuild continued in 2017/18, as the team had its sixth straight season with 35 or fewer wins. While a new management team is in place, led by Jeff Weltman and John Hammond, Orlando doesn’t appear ready to make a major step forward yet. Questionable investments by Rob Hennigan have left the team without significant cap room in 2018, meaning we shouldn’t expect any major free agent moves from the team this summer, though trades are an option.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Magic financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2018:

Guaranteed Salary

Bismack Biyombo ($17,000,000)
Evan Fournier ($17,000,000)
Nikola Vucevic ($12,750,000)
Terrence Ross ($10,500,000)
D.J. Augustin ($7,250,000)
Jonathon Simmons ($6,000,000)
Jonathan Isaac ($4,969,080)
Wesley Iwundu ($1,378,242)
Shelvin Mack ($1,000,000) — Partial guarantee. Non-guaranteed portion noted below.¹
C.J. Watson ($333,333) — Waived via stretch provision
Total: $78,180,655

Player Options

None

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Shelvin Mack ($5,000,000) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.¹
Khem Birch ($1,378,242)²
Rodney Purvis ($1,378,242)³
Total: $7,756,484

Restricted Free Agents

Aaron Gordon ($7,260,330 qualifying offer / $16,513,260 cap hold): Bird rights
Total: $16,513,260

Unrestricted Free Agents / Other Cap Holds

No. 5 overall pick ($5,310,672)⁴
Mario Hezonja ($5,167,231): Bird rights
Fran Vazquez ($3,346,518)⁵
Arron Afflalo ($1,499,698): Non-Bird rights
Marreese Speights ($1,499,698): Non-Bird rights
Total: $16,823,817

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Projected Cap Room: $15,014,470

Our Magic cap projection takes into account the team’s eight fully guaranteed contracts, the projected cap hold for the lottery pick, and three cap charges for empty roster spots, resulting a total team salary of $85,985,260. In that scenario, the team would have to waive all of its non- and partially-guaranteed contracts and renounce its free agents.
The Magic may ultimately decide to remain an over-the-cap team this summer. If they want to re-sign Gordon, that’s all but guaranteed, since his $16MM+ cap hold would take them over the $101MM mark.

Footnotes:

Mack’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 25.
Birch’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 29.
Purvis’ exact contract details, including guarantee info, aren’t yet known.
The Magic are fifth in the draft lottery standings. They could end up picking as high as No. 1 ($8,095,595) and as low as No. 8 ($4,033,884).
Vazquez was the Magic’s 11th overall pick in 2005 and has yet to be renounced, meaning his cap hold is equal to the rookie scale amount for this year’s No. 11 pick. That cap hold will be removed when it’s officially determined that Vazquez won’t sign with the Magic for 2018/19.

Note: Rookie scale cap holds are estimates based on salary cap projections and could increase or decrease depending on where the cap lands.

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

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