RealGM Analysis
Even though the salary cap projected to go over the $100 million mark for the first time in history (latest estimate: $103 million), not as many teams will have cap space in 2017 as many might assume after this past summer’s spending spree. NBA teams spent over $3.5 billion in salaries since the start of the summer.
Because so much money was spent this summer and because the cap estimate came in about $4 million less than originally thought (original projections were a cap of $107 million for 17-18), many teams will be tighter against the cap than we thought a year or so ago. In addition, Russell Westbrook and James Harden renegotiated and extended their contracts. Also, eight players coming off their Rookie Scale contracts agreed to extensions: Steven Adams, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Gorgui Dieng, Rudy Gobert, C.J. McCollum, Victor Oladipo, Dennis Schroder and Cody Zeller. Putting it all together, not only does this change the projection for their teams, but it removes several potential impact free agents from the market this coming summer.
Once you add it all up, there are still likely to be 10-14 teams with cap space available. And several more could join them. The tables below represent a look at where things stand as of today. A few notes:
- Current CBA rules are used. Please see below for further details.
- Latest cap projection of $103 million is used.
- 2017 NBA Draft order, for draft pick cap holds, was determined using the Las Vegas Over/Under win totals.
- Starting Cap Space = the amount of space each team will have without renouncing or waiving any players/picks.
- Maximum Cap Space = the amount of space each team could have if they waived or renounced all players/picks who are not fully guaranteed.
- Projected Cap Space = the amount of space each team is projected to have after roster decisions are made.
One final but important, note: the NBA and NBPA are very close to a new labor agreement. Several things are subject to change in the new agreement, including but not limited to: the way cap holds are calculated, the Rookie Scale salary amounts, the salary amount for Exception and several other factors. Once these items are better understood, we’ll have another round of updates. Most importantly, this agreement was reached with relative peace and speed, meaning we’ll have plenty of time to digest the changes and react to them before it takes effect for the 2017-18 season.
|
Team |
Starting |
Maximum |
Projected |
Fully |
Partial |
|
|
ATL |
$(38,942,692) |
$37,225,169 |
$(40,290,092) |
6 |
1 |
8 |
|
BOS |
$(8,219,107) |
$38,453,609 |
$23,607,646 |
7 |
3 |
5 |
|
BKN |
$11,402,048 |
$65,134,460 |
$25,157,139 |
7 |
3 |
5 |
|
CHA |
$(13,429,819) |
$11,192,835 |
$(10,712,055) |
8 |
1 |
6 |
|
CHI |
$(13,277,758) |
$54,885,314 |
$(11,237,258) |
7 |
3 |
5 |
|
CLE |
$(36,421,504) |
$(26,583,676) |
$(37,512,303) |
8 |
2 |
5 |
|
DAL |
$(34,370,966) |
$39,115,811 |
$34,378,153 |
7 |
5 |
3 |
|
DEN |
$17,772,619 |
$44,898,864 |
$17,820,464 |
12 |
2 |
1 |
|
DET |
$(17,702,802) |
$6,329,367 |
$(18,944,602) |
9 |
2 |
4 |
|
GSW |
$(22,022,802) |
$60,527,944 |
$(22,022,802) |
5 |
0 |
10 |
|
HOU |
$(4,813,689) |
$14,415,971 |
$9,354,235 |
10 |
1 |
4 |
|
IND |
$(4,392,667) |
$40,278,009 |
$24,252,288 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
|
LAC |
$(45,487,428) |
$40,283,991 |
$(42,903,668) |
6 |
1 |
8 |
|
LAL |
$(5,829,073) |
$32,707,850 |
$15,948,337 |
9 |
2 |
4 |
|
MEM |
$(25,613,131) |
$9,522,927 |
$(25,613,131) |
10 |
1 |
4 |
|
MIA |
$(14,252,988) |
$24,410,903 |
$16,387,605 |
5 |
3 |
7 |
|
MIL |
$(23,032,979) |
$7,096,679 |
$(19,828,220) |
10 |
0 |
5 |
|
MIN |
$5,849,717 |
$26,864,810 |
$18,745,449 |
10 |
1 |
4 |
|
NOP |
$(13,123,142) |
$31,352,955 |
$21,730,634 |
9 |
0 |
6 |
|
NYK |
$(15,393,977) |
$25,286,168 |
$23,743,961 |
8 |
2 |
5 |
|
OKC |
$(30,331,758) |
$(7,404,397) |
$(31,425,258) |
9 |
1 |
5 |
|
ORL |
$(22,383,348) |
$32,772,455 |
$11,012,977 |
7 |
2 |
6 |
|
PHI |
$19,307,467 |
$65,807,003 |
$15,546,068 |
7 |
3 |
5 |
|
PHX |
$8,533,141 |
$35,773,632 |
$17,811,158 |
9 |
3 |
3 |
|
POR |
$(40,215,927) |
$(26,304,100) |
$(41,408,127) |
11 |
3 |
1 |
|
SAC |
$(17,226,897) |
$52,961,145 |
$(6,668,776) |
7 |
2 |
6 |
|
SAS |
$(24,548,173) |
$28,381,744 |
$(23,170,973) |
7 |
1 |
7 |
|
TOR |
$(22,915,179) |
$14,625,076 |
$(25,045,479) |
10 |
2 |
3 |
|
UTA |
$(16,648,661) |
$35,339,035 |
$(18,803,661) |
7 |
3 |
5 |
|
WAS |
$(20,729,918) |
$4,514,544 |
$(13,810,523) |
9 |
3 |
3 |
Sorted by Starting Cap Space
|
Team |
Starting Cap Space |
|
Philadelphia |
$19,307,467 |
|
Denver |
$17,772,619 |
|
Brooklyn |
$11,402,048 |
|
Phoenix |
$8,533,141 |
|
Minnesota |
$5,849,717 |
|
Indiana |
$(4,392,667) |
|
Houston |
$(4,813,689) |
|
LA Lakers |
$(5,829,073) |
|
Boston |
$(8,219,107) |
|
New Orleans |
$(13,123,142) |
|
Chicago |
$(13,277,758) |
|
Charlotte |
$(13,429,819) |
|
Miami |
$(14,252,988) |
|
New York |
$(15,393,977) |
|
Utah |
$(16,648,661) |
|
Sacramento |
$(17,226,897) |
|
Detroit |
$(17,702,802) |
|
Washington |
$(20,729,918) |
|
Golden State |
$(22,022,802) |
|
Orlando |
$(22,383,348) |
|
Toronto |
$(22,915,179) |
|
Milwaukee |
$(23,032,979) |
|
San Antonio |
$(24,548,173) |
|
Memphis |
$(25,613,131) |
|
Oklahoma City |
$(30,331,758) |
|
Dallas |
$(34,370,966) |
|
Cleveland |
$(36,421,504) |
|
Atlanta |
$(38,942,692) |
|
Portland |
$(40,215,927) |
|
LA Clippers |
$(45,487,428) |
Sorted by Maximum Cap Space
|
Team |
Maximum |
|
Philadelphia |
$65,807,003 |
|
Brooklyn |
$65,134,460 |
|
Golden State |
$60,527,944 |
|
Chicago |
$54,885,314 |
|
Sacramento |
$52,961,145 |
|
Denver |
$44,898,864 |
|
LA Clippers |
$40,283,991 |
|
Indiana |
$40,278,009 |
|
Dallas |
$39,115,811 |
|
Boston |
$38,453,609 |
|
Atlanta |
$37,225,169 |
|
Phoenix |
$35,773,632 |
|
Utah |
$35,339,035 |
|
Orlando |
$32,772,455 |
|
LA Lakers |
$32,707,850 |
|
New Orleans |
$31,352,955 |
|
San Antonio |
$28,381,744 |
|
Minnesota |
$26,864,810 |
|
New York |
$25,286,168 |
|
Miami |
$24,410,903 |
|
Toronto |
$14,625,076 |
|
Houston |
$14,415,971 |
|
Charlotte |
$11,192,835 |
|
Memphis |
$9,522,927 |
|
Milwaukee |
$7,096,679 |
|
Detroit |
$6,329,367 |
|
Washington |
$4,514,544 |
|
Oklahoma City |
$(7,404,397) |
|
Portland |
$(26,304,100) |
|
Cleveland |
$(26,583,676) |
Sorted by Projected Cap Space
|
Team |
Projected |
|
Dallas |
$34,378,153 |
|
Brooklyn |
$25,157,139 |
|
Indiana |
$24,252,288 |
|
New York |
$23,743,961 |
|
Boston |
$23,607,646 |
|
New Orleans |
$21,730,634 |
|
Minnesota |
$18,745,449 |
|
Denver |
$17,820,464 |
|
Phoenix |
$17,811,158 |
|
Miami |
$16,387,605 |
|
LA Lakers |
$15,948,337 |
|
Philadelphia |
$15,546,068 |
|
Orlando |
$11,012,977 |
|
Houston |
$9,354,235 |
|
Sacramento |
$(6,668,776) |
|
Charlotte |
$(10,712,055) |
|
Chicago |
$(11,237,258) |
|
Washington |
$(13,810,523) |
|
Utah |
$(18,803,661) |
|
Detroit |
$(18,944,602) |
|
Milwaukee |
$(19,828,220) |
|
Golden State |
$(22,022,802) |
|
San Antonio |
$(23,170,973) |
|
Toronto |
$(25,045,479) |
|
Memphis |
$(25,613,131) |
|
Oklahoma City |
$(31,425,258) |
|
Cleveland |
$(37,512,303) |
|
Atlanta |
$(40,290,092) |
|
Portland |
$(41,408,127) |
|
LA Clippers |
$(42,903,668) |
