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Offseason Salary Cap Digest

2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Phoenix Suns

May 19th, 2017 at 8:59am CST by Luke Adams

The Suns added a pair of cornerstone frontcourt pieces in the 2016 draft when they selected Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss in the top eight, then saw backcourt players like Devin Booker and Tyler Ulis take promising steps forward during the season. However, Phoenix’s 2016/17 record (24-58) was virtually the same as 2015/16’s mark (23-59), and Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, and Tyson Chandler weren’t thrilled to be benched after the trade deadline. Going forward, the Suns will have decisions to make on how to balance their youth movement with playing time for their veterans.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Suns financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

  • Leandro Barbosa ($3,500,000) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.1
  • Elijah Millsap ($1,524,305)
  • Derrick Jones ($1,312,611)
  • Total: $6,336,916

Restricted Free Agents

  • Alex Len ($4,187,598 qualifying offer / $12,059,053 cap hold)
  • Alan Williams ($1,671,382 qualifying offer / $1,671,382 cap hold)
  • Total: $13,730,435

Cap Holds

  • No. 4 overall pick ($5,090,040)
  • Ronnie Price ($1,471,382)
  • Total: $6,561,422

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $28,332,478

  • The Suns have nine players on fully guaranteed contracts. If they were to waive their non-guaranteed players and renounce all their free agents, they’d also have to account for cap holds for their first-round pick and two empty roster spots, creating a total team salary of $72,667,522. That would be enough room to make a play for a maximum-salary restricted free agent, but not enough to fit a max contract for a veteran with seven or more years of NBA experience.

Footnotes:

  1. Barbosa’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 3

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.

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2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Philadelphia 76ers

May 18th, 2017 at 11:44am CST by Luke Adams

After three straight seasons of the Sixers failing to reach the 20-win mark, fans in Philadelphia finally got a thrilling glimpse of the future in 2016/17, as Joel Embiid made his NBA debut and looked like a potential franchise player. Embiid’s rookie season was cut short by more injuries, as was Ben Simmons‘, but assuming the 76ers have better health luck going forward, there’s plenty of reason for optimism — and the team still has plenty of cap flexibility to continue adding talent.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Sixers financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

  • Alex Poythress ($1,512,611 qualifying offer / $1,512,611 cap hold)
  • Total: $1,512,611

Cap Holds

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $55,186,167

  • The Sixers have eight players on guaranteed salaries, a cheap team option for Covington that will be exercised, and a cap hold for their No. 3 overall pick. Throw in a couple cap charges for empty roster spots and their team salary is a modest $45,813,833. Even if the Sixers retain a couple of their non-guaranteed players, as expected, they’ll have more than enough space for a maximum salary contract, with plenty of room to spare.

Footnotes:

  1. There are conflicting reports about whether or not Henderson’s contract has a partial guarantee or no guarantee. Either way, Henderson’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.
  2. Covington’s salary remains non-guaranteed if team option exercised; becomes partially guaranteed ($53,547) after August 9.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.

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2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Los Angeles Lakers

May 17th, 2017 at 3:45pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers posted a bottom-five record for the third straight season, but there were some positive signs for the franchise in 2016/17. The Lakers appear to have found a keeper in head coach Luke Walton, and after some turmoil in the front office and the ownership group, Jeanie Buss re-asserted control of the organization and brought in Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka to run the basketball operations department. Johnson and Pelinka caught a break when the Lakers kept their lottery pick – now No. 2 overall – and they’ll be tasked with determining how best to return the franchise to contention.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Lakers financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

Team Options

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

  • None

Cap Holds

  • Nick Young ($10,343,444) — If player option is declined
  • No. 2 overall pick ($6,286,560)
  • Tyler Ennis ($2,666,707)
  • Thomas Robinson ($1,471,382)
  • Metta World Peace ($1,471,382)
  • No. 28 overall pick ($1,414,920)
  • Total: $23,654,395

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $22,856,044

  • With nine guaranteed contracts, two cap holds for first-round picks, and one cap charge for an empty roster slot, the Lakers would have $78,143,956 on their books. That would give the team a sizable chunk of cap room, albeit not quite enough for a maximum salary player. The Lakers aren’t likely to sign anyone to a max contract this summer, but if they wanted to, they’d need to move guaranteed contracts and/or draft picks to create space.

Footnotes:

  1. Black’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 4.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.

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2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Washington Wizards

May 16th, 2017 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards’ 2016 offseason, which included huge new deals for Bradley Beal and Ian Mahinmi, received mixed reviews. However, while Mahinmi battled injuries and didn’t have the impact Washington had hoped, Beal delivered on his contract extension with a career year, and new head coach Scott Brooks turned out to be the Wizards’ most important offseason addition.

After coming within one game of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Wizards will now have to decide whether to follow up Beal’s deal with a similarly lucrative extension for Otto Porter. The club’s lack of cap flexibility will make it tricky to acquire additional reinforcements whether or not Porter returns.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Wizards financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

  • Otto Porter ($7,732,904 qualifying offer / $14,734,953 cap hold)
  • Bojan Bogdanovic ($4,663,316 qualifying offer / $7,088,241 cap hold)
  • Trey Burke ($4,187,598 qualifying offer / $8,466,495 cap hold)
  • Total: $30,289,689

Cap Holds

Trade Exceptions

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $6,646,794

  • Renouncing all their free agents and waiving their non-guaranteed salaries would leave the Wizards with nine guaranteed contracts and three cap charges for empty roster slots, totaling $94,353,206. That doesn’t leave the Wizards much room to work with, so it makes more sense for the team to stay over the cap, which would allow for possible deals with RFAs like Porter and/or Bogdanovic.

Footnotes:

  1. Mac’s salary becomes partially guaranteed ($50,000) after July 1.
  2. Ochefu’s salary becomes partially guaranteed ($50,000) after July 1.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.

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2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Houston Rockets

May 12th, 2017 at 12:32pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets outperformed expectations in 2016/17, with James Harden receiving MVP consideration and Mike D’Antoni entering the Coach of the Year discussion as the club set records for three-point shooting. However, the season ended on a sour note, and Daryl Morey won’t have as much cap flexibility to make roster additions this summer as he did a year ago, when Houston landed Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Rockets financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

  • None

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

  • Bobby Brown ($1,724,305 qualifying offer / $1,724,305 cap hold)
  • Troy Williams ($1,512,611 qualifying offer / $1,512,611 cap hold)
  • Total: $3,236,916

Cap Holds

  • Nene ($3,477,600)
  • Total: $3,477,600

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $11,700,349

  • With more than $87MM on their 2017/18 cap in the form of guaranteed salaries, the Rockets would have a team salary of $89,299,651 if they added a couple cap charges for empty roster spots to that total. That would give the club about $11.7MM in cap room, which isn’t much more than what the mid-level exception is expected to be worth. In order to clear out additional space, a trade would be necessary.

Footnotes:

  1. Wiltjer’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after August 1.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.

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2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Toronto Raptors

May 10th, 2017 at 10:17am CST by Luke Adams

Having acquired Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker at the trade deadline, the Raptors looked well-equipped to make a run in the Eastern Conference playoffs and perhaps even challenge the Cavaliers, a year after falling to Cleveland in the Eastern Finals. However, the Raps got all they could handle from the Bucks in the first round, then were thoroughly dominated by the Cavs in a second-round sweep. With a handful of key players – including Ibaka, Tucker, and All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry – eligible for free agency, a “culture reset” may be on tap for the franchise.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Raptors financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

  • None

Cap Holds

  • Serge Ibaka ($18,375,000)
  • Kyle Lowry ($18,000,000) — If player option is declined
  • Patrick Patterson ($11,495,000)
  • P.J. Tucker ($10,070,000)
  • No. 23 overall pick ($1,645,200)
  • Total: $59,585,200

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $20,910,939

  • With nine players on guaranteed salaries and a cap hold for a first-round pick, the Raptors could add two cap charges for empty roster spots for a total team salary of $80,089,061. However, that scenario would involve waiving Powell and VanVleet, not to mention renouncing Lowry, Ibaka, Patterson, and Tucker. That’s not realistic. It’s far more likely that Toronto stays over the cap and makes an effort to re-sign some of its own free agents, forgoing potential cap room.

Footnotes:

  1. Powell’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 29.
  2. VanVleet’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 20.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.

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2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Utah Jazz

May 9th, 2017 at 1:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Viewed heading into the 2016/17 season as the Western lottery team most likely to make the jump into the playoffs, the Jazz delivered — and then some. Their 51-31 record was their best mark since 2009/10. Having battled injuries for much of the year, Utah has room to take another step forward next season, but the club will first have to navigate a difficult offseason, with key players like Gordon Hayward and George Hill potentially reaching free agency.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Jazz financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Restricted Free Agents

  • Joe Ingles ($2,687,500 qualifying offer / $4,085,000 cap hold)
  • Total: $4,085,000

Cap Holds

  • Gordon Hayward ($24,109,710) — If player option is declined
  • George Hill ($15,200,000)
  • Shelvin Mack ($4,623,335)
  • No. 24 overall pick ($1,579,440)
  • Jeff Withey ($1,471,382)
  • No. 30 overall pick ($1,394,520)
  • Total: $48,378,387

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $30,686,325

  • With their eight guaranteed contracts, cap holds for two first-round picks, and a pair of cap charges for empty roster spots, the Jazz would have a team salary of $70,313,675. However, in that scenario, Utah would have to renounce Hayward, Hill, Ingles, and the rest of their free agents, in addition to waiving Diaw and Neto. So that’s probably a scenario the club will try to avoid. Re-signing Hayward and/or Hill would eat up most or all of Utah’s potential cap room.

Footnotes:

  1. Diaw’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 15.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.

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2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Los Angeles Clippers

May 5th, 2017 at 11:42am CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers have three players who are perennial All-NBA candidates, and have racked up at least 51 victories in each of the last five seasons. However, they’ve also only won two playoff series during that stretch — that’s why, with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin headed toward potential free agency, there are so many calls for Los Angeles to blow things up this offseason. A full-scale rebuild seems unlikely, since the Clippers won’t want to lose their top free agents for nothing, and sign-and-trades are difficult to pull off under the current CBA. Still, changes of some sort are looming in the wake of another postseason disappointment.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Clippers financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options / Early Termination Options

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

  • Paul Pierce ($2,583,760) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.1
  • Total: $2,583,760

Restricted Free Agents

  • None

Cap Holds

  • Chris Paul ($34,303,241) — If early termination option is exercised
  • Blake Griffin ($30,211,259) — If early termination option is exercised2
  • J.J. Redick ($14,017,250)
  • Luc Mbah a Moute ($2,863,900) — If player option is declined
  • Alan Anderson ($1,471,382)
  • Brandon Bass ($1,471,382)
  • Raymond Felton ($1,471,382)
  • Marreese Speights ($1,471,382) — If player option is declined
  • Total: $87,281,178

Trade Exceptions

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $36,357,897

  • Determining the Clippers’ maximum cap space is a less interesting exercise than it is for most other teams, since there’s very little chance the Clips will part ways with all their free-agents-to-be in an effort to create cap room. Still, it’s worth noting that if the club renounces those free agents and exceptions, keeps its six guaranteed salaries, and accounts for six empty roster spots, that would result in a $64,642,103 team salary. A new deal for Paul would eat up most of that room, and if the Clippers are able to retain Griffin as well, that would send team salary way over the cap.

Footnotes:

  1. Pierce’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.
  2. Griffin’s cap hold can’t exceed his maximum salary, which is currently projected to be $30,300,000.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.

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2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Atlanta Hawks

May 4th, 2017 at 6:02pm CST by Luke Adams

A year after losing Al Horford in free agency, the Hawks risk Paul Millsap declining his player option and following the same path. When Horford left last summer, Atlanta went on a bit of a spending spree, signing Dwight Howard, Kent Bazemore, and Dennis Schroder to lucrative long-term deals. Those three veterans are now the highest-paid players on the Hawks’ books, and it will be interesting to see if the club adds another player or two to that group if Millsap departs.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Hawks financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

  • Mike Dunleavy Jr. ($3,512,500) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.1
  • Ryan Kelly ($1,577,230)2
  • Total: $5,089,730

Restricted Free Agents

  • Tim Hardaway Jr. ($4,588,840 qualifying offer / $5,704,013 cap hold)
  • Total: $5,704,013

Cap Holds

Trade Exceptions

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $30,922,632

  • By waiving their players without fully guaranteed contracts and renouncing all their exceptions and free agents (including Millsap), the Hawks would be left with six players on guaranteed deals, a cap hold for their first-round pick, and cap charges for empty roster spots totaling $70,077,368. That would give the club nearly $31MM in cap room, but if Atlanta wants to make an effort to re-sign Millsap, that space would go away — Millsap’s cap hold exceeds $30MM on its own.

Footnotes:

  1. Dunleavy’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 1.
  2. Kelly’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 7.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.

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2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Chicago Bulls

May 3rd, 2017 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls’ approach to the 2016 offseason was a vexing one, as they stocked up on veteran perimeter players with poor outside shots. Chicago’s questionable roster moves continued into the regular season, when the team sent a pair of rotation players to Oklahoma City in exchange for a point guard (Cameron Payne) who barely got off the bench in the playoffs. With the futures of Dwyane Wade, Rajon Rondo, and even trade candidate Jimmy Butler up in the air heading into the summer, it will be interesting to see whether the Bulls double down on their current core or head in a new direction.

Here’s where things currently stand for the Bulls financially, as we continue our Offseason Salary Cap Digest series for 2017:

Guaranteed Salary

Player Options

Team Options

  • None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

  • Rajon Rondo ($10,397,000) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.1
  • Isaiah Canaan ($1,377,230) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.2
  • Total: $11,774,230

Restricted Free Agents

Cap Holds

  • Dwyane Wade ($27,840,000) — If player option is declined
  • Anthony Morrow ($6,627,200)
  • No. 16 overall pick ($2,247,480)
  • Total: $36,714,680

Trade Exceptions

  • Taj Gibson TPE ($5,462,000) — Expires 2/23/18

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $50,872,031

  • With only two sizable guaranteed contracts on their books for next season, the Bulls could clear a significant chunk of cap room. However, it would require waiving Rondo and Canaan, not to mention renouncing all their exceptions and free agents, including Wade (assuming he turns down his player option). In that scenario, the Bulls’ remaining guaranteed salary, the cap hold for their first-round pick, and a few cap charges for empty roster spots would total $50,127,969. However, I’d expect the Bulls to hang onto Rondo and attempt to re-sign at least a couple of their restricted free agents, which will limit their cap flexibility. Wade opting in would also reduce their cap room significantly.

Footnotes:

  1. Rondo’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.
  2. Canaan’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders and The Vertical was used in the creation of this post.

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