Offseason Salary Cap Digest

2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Memphis Grizzlies

May 2nd, 2017 at 4:48pm CST by Luke Adams

With cornerstone pieces like Mike Conley and Marc Gasol locked up for the long term, the Grizzlies looked to add another player to their core last summer, and landed on Chandler Parsons, who signed a maximum salary contract with the team. Parsons’ first year in Memphis was derailed by injuries, which prevented the club from taking a step toward title contention. With Parsons’ pricey deal on the books for three more years, the Grizzlies will have to hope he’s able to contribute something going forward, since his contract – combined with Conley’s and Gasol’s – will make it very difficult for the team to add any other marquee players.

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

Guaranteed Salary

Mike Conley ($28,530,608)
Chandler Parsons ($23,112,004)
Marc Gasol ($22,642,350)
Brandan Wright ($5,955,760)
Troy Daniels ($3,408,520)
James Ennis ($3,028,410)
Wade Baldwin ($1,874,400)
Jarell Martin ($1,471,382)
Deyonta Davis ($1,312,611)
Andrew Harrison ($1,312,611)
Jamaal Franklin ($163,296) — Waived via stretch provision
Total: $92,811,952

Player Options

None

Team Options

Wayne Selden ($1,312,611)
Total: $1,312,611

Non-Guaranteed Salary

None

Restricted Free Agents

JaMychal Green ($2,820,497 qualifying offer / $2,820,497 cap hold)
Total: $2,820,497

Cap Holds

Zach Randolph ($15,542,168)
Tony Allen ($10,460,674)
Vince Carter ($8,101,708)
Wayne Selden ($1,312,611) — If team option is declined
Total: $35,417,161

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $6,556,818

With no cap hold for a first-round draft pick to worry about, the Grizzlies would have $94,443,182 on their books if they only kept their players on guaranteed salaries, plus a pair of empty roster cap charges. In that scenario though, their projected cap room would be less than the mid-level exception, and it would mean renouncing free agents like Green, Randolph, Allen, and Carter. As such, Memphis is far more likely to stay over the cap and make an effort to re-sign at least a couple of those players.

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

2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Milwaukee Bucks

April 28th, 2017 at 3:28pm CST by Luke Adams

On the day that Jabari Parker was diagnosed with a torn ACL, the Bucks were 22-29 and appeared to be on track for a spot in the lottery. However, the team came into its own down the stretch of the 2016/17 season, finishing on a 20-11 run and giving the Raptors all they could handle in the first round of the playoffs. This is a team on the rise, led by MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo, but Milwaukee isn’t typically a destination for top free agents, and the club likely won’t have much spending flexibility this summer anyway. The Bucks may ultimately continue to rely on the trade market and the draft, where they’ve struck gold in recent years.

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

Guaranteed Salary

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($22,471,911)
Khris Middleton ($14,100,000)
John Henson ($11,422,536)
Mirza Teletovic ($10,500,000)
Matthew Dellavedova ($9,607,500)
Jabari Parker ($6,782,392)
Thon Maker ($2,684,160)
Rashad Vaughn ($1,889,040)
Larry Sanders ($1,865,547) — Waived via stretch provision
Malcolm Brogdon ($1,312,611)
Total: $82,635,697

Player Options

Greg Monroe ($17,884,176)
Spencer Hawes ($6,021,175)
Total: $23,905,351

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Gary Payton II ($1,312,611)¹
Total: $1,312,611

Restricted Free Agents

Tony Snell ($4,588,840 qualifying offer / $5,920,818 cap hold)
Total: $5,920,818

Cap Holds

Greg Monroe ($22,289,589) — If player option is declined
Spencer Hawes ($9,523,137) — If player option is declined
Michael Beasley ($1,471,382)
Jason Terry ($1,471,382)
No. 17 overall pick ($2,135,040)
Total: $36,890,530

Trade Exceptions

Roy Hibbert TPE ($5,000,000) — Expires 2/23/18
Tyler Ennis TPE ($1,733,880) — Expires 9/22/17
Miles Plumlee TPE ($1,151,241) — Expires 2/2/18
Michael Carter-Williams TPE ($815,199) — Expires 10/17/17

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $14,598,033

With their nine players on guaranteed contracts, their first-round pick, and two empty roster spot charges, the Bucks have $86,401,967 in projected salary for 2017/18, giving the team a little breathing room under the cap. However, that’s probably not a realistic scenario, since it would mean renouncing Snell and all their trade exceptions, not to mention Monroe and Hawes both turning down their player options. It’s much more likely that the Bucks will remain over the cap this offseason.

Footnotes:

Payton’s 2017/18 salary believed to be non-guaranteed, per Basketball Insiders. The Vertical lists it as guaranteed.

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

2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Oklahoma City Thunder

April 27th, 2017 at 2:40pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2016/17 campaign was a banner season for Russell Westbrook, who may take home his first MVP award after averaging a triple-double. It was about as successful a year as the Thunder could have expected after losing Kevin Durant, but players like Steven Adams and Victor Oladipo didn’t take big steps forward after signing long-term deals, as the team might’ve hoped. Heading into the summer, the Thunder are over the cap and will have to get creative to further bolster their roster.

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

Guaranteed Salary

Russell Westbrook ($28,530,608)
Steven Adams ($22,471,911)
Victor Oladipo ($21,000,000)
Enes Kanter ($17,884,176)
Alex Abrines ($5,725,000)
Kyle Singler ($4,666,500)
Doug McDermott ($3,294,994)
Domantas Sabonis ($2,550,000)
Ronnie Price ($2,442,455) — Waived
Josh Huestis ($1,471,382)
Total: $110,037,026

Player Options

None

Team Options

Jerami Grant ($1,524,305)
Total: $1,524,305

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Semaj Christon ($1,312,611)¹
Total: $1,312,611

Restricted Free Agents

Andre Roberson ($4,588,840 qualifying offer / $5,457,681 cap hold)
Total: $5,457,681

Cap Holds

Taj Gibson ($13,425,000)
Nick Collison ($7,125,000)
Norris Cole ($1,471,382)
No. 21 overall pick ($1,785,000)
Total: $23,806,382

Trade Exceptions

Ersan Ilyasova TPE ($4,936,529) — Expires 11/1/17

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: –$12,453,256

After Durant departed in free agency last July, the Thunder’s books looked wide open for the foreseeable future, creating a number of different paths the team could go down. However, in the subsequent months, Oklahoma City finalize lucrative extensions for Westbrook, Oladipo, and Adams. Those new deals will count for more than $72MM on the Thunder’s books for 2017/18, limiting the club’s flexibility, barring trades. With nine guaranteed salaries, the cap hold for their first-rounder, and two empty roster charges, the Thunder are carrying $113,453,256 in projected salary for ’17/18, and that’s assuming they renounce all their free agents, including Roberson. They won’t have cap room.

Footnotes:

Christon’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 8.

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

2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Portland Trail Blazers

April 26th, 2017 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After an unexpected second-round playoff run a year ago, the Trail Blazers underwhelmed in 2016/17, sneaking into the playoffs as a No. 8 seed and failing to win a single postseason game. The Blazers did unearth a gem when they acquired Jusuf Nurkic in a February trade, but the team’s cap situation will make it very difficult for the front office to make major upgrades to the roster this summer.

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

Guaranteed Salary

Damian Lillard ($26,153,057)
C.J. McCollum ($23,962,573)
Allen Crabbe ($19,332,500)
Evan Turner ($17,131,148)
Maurice Harkless ($10,162,922)
Meyers Leonard ($9,904,495)
Al-Farouq Aminu ($7,319,035)
Ed Davis ($6,352,531)
Noah Vonleh ($3,505,233)
Jusuf Nurkic ($2,947,305)
Shabazz Napier ($2,361,360)
Anderson Varejao ($1,984,005) — Waived via stretch provision.
Jake Layman ($1,312,611)
Festus Ezeli ($1,000,000) — Partial guarantee. Non-guaranteed portion noted below.¹
Total: $133,428,775

Player Options

None

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Festus Ezeli ($6,733,000) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.¹
Pat Connaughton ($1,471,382)²
Tim Quarterman ($1,312,611)
Total: $9,516,993

Restricted Free Agents

None

Cap Holds

No. 15 overall pick ($2,365,560)
No. 20 overall pick ($1,859,400)
No. 26 overall pick ($1,465,920)
Total: $5,690,880

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: –$38,119,655

Portland has an extraordinary amount of money tied up in guaranteed salaries for next season. If the Blazers were to waive all their players on non-guaranteed salaries, the club’s remaining salaries for 2017/18 – along with cap holds for first-round draft picks – would total $139,119,655, a figure that would be well above the tax line. Trades to clear some salary are possible, but the Blazers are a virtual lock to remain over the cap this offseason.

Footnotes:

Ezeli’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after June 30.
Connaughton’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 25.

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

2017 Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Indiana Pacers

April 25th, 2017 at 3:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers made some big splashes on the trade market and in free agency a year ago, but the new-look roster didn’t take the step forward the team was hoping for. Heading into the 2017 offseason, Indiana finds itself in a tough spot, with the future of star forward Paul George – who has just one guaranteed year left on his contract – up in the air.

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

Guaranteed Salary

Paul George ($19,508,958)
Thaddeus Young ($14,996,348)
Monta Ellis ($11,227,000)
Al Jefferson ($9,769,821)
Lance Stephenson ($4,180,000)
Myles Turner ($2,569,920)
Georges Niang ($100,000) — Partial guarantee. Non-guaranteed portion noted below.¹
Rakeem Christmas ($50,000) — Partial guarantee. Non-guaranteed portion noted below.²
Total: $62,402,047

Player Options

C.J. Miles ($4,772,675)
Total: $4,772,675

Team Options

Lavoy Allen ($4,000,000)
Total: $4,000,000

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Kevin Seraphin ($1,974,159)³
Glenn Robinson III ($1,471,382)⁴
Joe Young ($1,471,382)⁵
Rakeem Christmas ($1,421,382) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.²
Georges Niang ($1,212,611) — Partial guarantee. Guaranteed portion noted above.¹
Total: $7,550,916

Restricted Free Agents

None

Cap Holds

Jeff Teague ($13,200,000) — UFA
C.J. Miles ($8,708,555) — If player option is declined
Lavoy Allen ($7,600,000) — If team option is declined
Aaron Brooks ($3,240,000) — UFA
No. 18 overall pick ($2,028,360)
Total: $34,776,915

Projected Salary Cap: $101,000,000

Maximum Cap Room: $32,491,518

If the Pacers were to waive all their players on non-guaranteed salaries, decline their team option on Allen, have Miles turn down his player option, and renounce their UFAs, they would have $64,430,407 on their cap for seven roster spots (six guaranteed salaries and a first-round pick). The team would also have to account for five minimum-salary roster charges for empty roster spots. The total on their books in that scenario would be $68,508,482.

Footnotes:

Niang’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after either July 1 or July 15 (conflicting information available).
Christmas’ salary becomes fully guaranteed after either July 1 or August 1 (conflicting information available).
Seraphin’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after August 1.
Robinson’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 1.
Young’s salary becomes fully guaranteed after July 1.

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

Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Golden State Warriors

June 15th, 2016 at 12:45pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors, coming off a record-setting season and poised to earn a second consecutive title if they can win one of two games this week against the Cavaliers, are in a pretty good spot. The team’s three most important players – Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Stephen Curry – remain under contract for 2016/17, and their salaries are very affordable, given how much they’ve contributed on the court over the last couple seasons.

Still, Golden State will have some decisions to make this offseason. The team has four players headed for unrestricted free agency, with four more eligible for restricted free agency, including Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli. Is Barnes worth a near-max salary if the Warriors can’t lure top free agent target Kevin Durant to the Bay Area? With Curry due for a max contract of his own in 2017, the Dubs’ core will start to get very expensive very soon, so it’s not a given that pricey complementary players like Barnes, Andre Iguodala, and Andrew Bogut will be around for the long term.

See how Golden State’s cap situation looks for 2016/17 as Hoops Rumors continues its offseason salary cap digest series.

Guaranteed Salary

Klay Thompson ($16,663,575)
Draymond Green ($15,330,435)
Stephen Curry ($12,112,359)
Andre Iguodala ($11,131,368)
Andrew Bogut ($11,027,027)
Shaun Livingston ($3,000,000) — Partial guarantee; non-guaranteed portion listed below¹
Kevon Looney ($1,182,840)
(Jason Thompson $945,126) — Salary remaining from release via stretch provision
Total: $71,392,730

Player Options

None

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Shaun Livingston ($2,782,450) — Partial guarantee; guaranteed portion listed above¹

Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)

Harrison Barnes ($5,194,227/$9,683,495)
Festus Ezeli ($3,013,123/$5,021,870)
Ian Clark ($1,215,696/$1,215,696)
James Michael McAdoo ($1,180,431/$1,180,431)
Totals: $10,603,477/$17,101,492

Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Marreese Speights ($7,248,500)
Leandro Barbosa ($3,250,000)
Brandon Rush ($980,431)
Anderson Varejao ($980,431)
Total: $12,459,362

Other Cap Holds

Jermaine O’Neal ($2,400,000)
Ognjen Kuzmic ($980,431)
No. 30 pick ($976,300)
Total: $4,356,731

Projected Salary Cap: $92,000,000

Footnotes:

Livingston’s full $5,782,450 salary will become guaranteed if he’s still on the roster beyond June 30th.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Cleveland Cavaliers

June 14th, 2016 at 10:12am CST by Luke Adams

Since LeBron James returned to Cleveland and the Cavaliers traded No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins as part of a package for Kevin Love, anything short of a championship has been considered a disappointment for the franchise. That means the next several days could go a long way toward determining what kind of offseason is in store for the Cavs.

Even if the club manages to pull off the improbable comeback against the Warriors, Love’s days in Cleveland could be numbered. He has essentially been a non-factor in the Finals, and moving his $21MM+ salary shouldn’t be too challenging, with the cap projected to rise by $22MM. Of course, LeBron’s decision on his player option is perhaps the more pressing issue for the Cavs, but even if he opts out, there has been little to no buzz suggesting the former MVP will leave Cleveland this summer.

See how Cleveland’s cap situation looks for 2016/17 as Hoops Rumors continues its offseason salary cap digest series.

Guaranteed Salary

Kevin Love ($21,165,675)
Kyrie Irving ($17,638,063)
Tristan Thompson ($15,330,435)
Iman Shumpert ($9,662,922)
Channing Frye ($7,806,971)
Sasha Kaun ($1,333,420)
Total: $72,937,486

Player Options

LeBron James ($24,004,173)
J.R. Smith ($5,375,000)
Mo Williams ($2,194,500)
Total: $31,573,673

Team Options

Jordan McRae ($874,636)

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Dahntay Jones ($1,551,659)

Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)

Matthew Dellavedova ($1,434,095/$2,179,824)
Totals: $1,434,095/$2,179,824

Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)

LeBron James ($29,861,650) — pending player option
J.R. Smith ($9,500,000) — pending player option
Timofey Mozgov ($9,405,000)
Mo Williams ($2,520,000) — pending player option
Richard Jefferson ($980,431)
James Jones ($980,431)
Total: $53,247,512

Other Cap Holds

Shawn Marion ($980,431)

Projected Salary Cap: $92,000,000

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Utah Jazz

June 13th, 2016 at 5:19pm CST by Luke Adams

If the Jazz have a little more injury luck and stay healthier in 2016/17, they should be in the mix for a playoff spot, so it will be interesting to see how the team fills out its roster this offseason. Assuming the club drafts a player with the 12th overall pick, Utah will have 12 guaranteed contracts on its books, but only about $58.5MM in guaranteed salary. That leaves plenty of cap flexibility to add a veteran or two, but the Jazz will have to be careful about investing long-term in any free agents. With Gordon Hayward potentially opting out in 2017, and Rudy Gobert and Trey Burke eligible for extensions as of July 1st, some key contributors will get much more expensive a year from now, so the team will likely be wary of adding long-term salary to its books this summer if it intends to keep those players around.

See how Utah’s cap situation looks for 2016/17 as Hoops Rumors continues its offseason salary cap digest series.

Guaranteed Salary

Gordon Hayward ($16,073,140)
Derrick Favors ($11,050,000)
Alec Burks ($10,154,495)
Dante Exum ($3,940,320)
Trey Burke ($3,386,598)
Tibor Pleiss ($3,000,000)
Trey Lyles ($2,340,600)
Joe Ingles ($2,150,000)
Rudy Gobert ($2,121,287)
Rodney Hood ($1,406,520)
Raul Neto ($937,800)
Total: $56,560,760

Player Options

None

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Shelvin Mack ($2,433,334)
Chris Johnson ($1,050,961)
Jeff Withey ($1,015,696)
Total: $4,499,991

Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)

None

Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Trevor Booker ($6,207,500)
Total: $6,207,500

Other Cap Holds

No. 12 pick ($1,931,900)

Projected Salary Cap: $92,000,000

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Washington Wizards

June 10th, 2016 at 11:27am CST by Luke Adams

With just $45MM in guaranteed salaries on the books for 2016/17, and no draft picks to account for, the Wizards could have the flexibility to add a pair of maximum-salary contracts. However, long-coveted hometown target Kevin Durant doesn’t appear too likely to land in D.C. this summer, and one of those max salaries will likely be earmarked for Bradley Beal, despite his injury history. That leaves the Wizards with a tough call on what to do with their remaining cap room. Making a run at a second max player would require renouncing all – or at least most – of their unrestricted free agents, some of whom could be worth keeping around. It would also mean filling out the roster with a ton of minimum-salary players. In other words, it might make more sense to spread that cap room around, assuming Durant is indeed off the table.

See how Washington’s cap situation looks for 2016/17 as Hoops Rumors continues its offseason salary cap digest series.

Guaranteed Salary

John Wall ($16,957,900)
Marcin Gortat ($12,000,000)
Markieff Morris ($7,400,000)
Otto Porter ($5,893,981)
Kelly Oubre ($2,006,640)
(Martell Webster $833,334) — Salary remaining from release via stretch provision
Total: $45,091,855

Player Options

None

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Drew Gooden ($3,547,000)
Jarell Eddie ($980,431)
Total: $4,527,431

Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)

Bradley Beal ($7,471,412/$14,236,685)
Totals: $7,471,412/$14,236,685

Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Nene ($19,500,000)
Jared Dudley ($8,312,500)
Alan Anderson ($4,800,000)
Ramon Sessions ($2,821,605)
J.J. Hickson ($980,431)
Garrett Temple ($980,431)
Marcus Thornton ($980,431)
Total: $38,375,398

Other Cap Holds

Will Bynum ($980,431)
Al Harrington ($980,431)
Total: $1,960,862

Projected Salary Cap: $92,000,000

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.

Offseason Salary Cap Digest: Orlando Magic

June 9th, 2016 at 12:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The Magic’s rebuilding process hasn’t exactly resulted in a Sixers-esque bottoming out, but it has probably moved a bit slower than the franchise would have liked. After winning just 20 games in 2012/13, the team has steadily increased its win total in each of the three seasons since then, but still only managed a 35-47 mark this past year.

With some young cornerstones in place and others nearing the end of their rookie contracts, it will be interesting to see how Orlando approaches the offseason. The club only has about $36MM in guaranteed salary on its books and has expressed a willingness to be active in free agency, and adding two or three solid players to this core could result in a postseason berth. But after such a lengthy rebuilding process, the Magic shouldn’t rush the final steps — exercising patience and exploring possible trades involving their higher-paid players may postpone Orlando’s return to playoff contention by another year or two, but it might also make more sense than abruptly shifting to win-now mode.

See how Orlando’s cap situation looks for 2016/17 as Hoops Rumors continues its offseason salary cap digest series.

Guaranteed Salary

Nikola Vucevic ($11,750,000)
Victor Oladipo ($6,552,960)
C.J. Watson ($5,000,000)
Aaron Gordon ($4,351,320)
Mario Hezonja ($3,909,840)
Elfrid Payton ($2,613,600)
Shabazz Napier ($1,350,120)
Ersan Ilyasova ($400,000) — Partial guarantee; non-guaranteed portion listed below¹
Total: $35,927,840

Player Options

None

Team Options

None

Non-Guaranteed Salary

Ersan Ilyasova ($8,000,000) — Partial guarantee; guaranteed portion listed above¹
Devyn Marble ($980,431)
Total: $8,980,431

Restricted Free Agents (Qualifying Offers/Cap Holds)

Evan Fournier ($4,433,683/$5,720,513)
Andrew Nicholson ($3,394,726/$5,951,483)
Dewayne Dedmon ($1,215,696/$1,215,696)
Totals: $9,044,105/$12,887,692

Unrestricted Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Brandon Jennings ($12,516,746)
Jason Smith ($5,160,000)
Total: $17,676,746

Other Cap Holds

No. 11 pick ($2,033,500)
Fran Vazquez ($2,033,500)
Total: $4,067,000

Projected Salary Cap: $92,000,000

Footnotes:

Ilyasova’s full $8,400,000 salary will become guaranteed if he’s still on the roster on July 1st.

The Basketball Insiders salary pages were used in the creation of this post.