Key Dates That Limit NBA Roster Moves Near Hard-Cap and Tax Thresholds
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Five NBA clubs are carrying 14-player rosters but cannot immediately add a 15th man because they sit within striking distance of the league’s first- or second-apron hard caps.
Hard-capped teams
The first day each team could fit a prorated veteran’s minimum contract under its hard cap is as follows:
- Jan. 7 – Los Angeles Clippers
- Jan. 8 – Houston Rockets
- Jan. 9 – Orlando Magic
- Jan. 18 – Los Angeles Lakers
- Apr. 2 – New York Knicks
Los Angeles, for example, sits just $1,124,195 below the first apron. A minimum deal signed today would carry a $1,834,380 cap hit, but by Jan. 18 that charge falls to $1,121,743, finally creating enough space.
Golden State began the season in the same predicament but has since opened sufficient room; every additional day without a signing increases the Warriors’ cushion.
Dallas close to second apron
The Mavericks maintain a full roster yet could seek a replacement for injured guard Dante Exum, who is out for the season with a knee injury. Dallas is $1,292,084 under the second apron and cannot add a new player until Jan. 6, when a prorated minimum contract would count $1,280,107 against the cap.
Teams hugging the luxury-tax line
Three clubs are so close to the tax threshold that even a minimum signing would push them over. Their breathing room improves on the following dates:
- Dec. 13 – Miami Heat
- Dec. 19 – Portland Trail Blazers
- Jan. 26 – Oklahoma City Thunder
Portland and Oklahoma City already carry 15-man rosters, while Miami has one open spot and could become active once mid-December arrives.
Additional considerations
The timetable above applies only to one-year minimum deals for standard free agents. A player whose draft rights are held by a team could be signed sooner because rookie minimum cap hits are lower. Multiyear minimum contracts would take longer to fit under the cap, and any trade, buyout or 10-day contract could alter the dates listed.
Source: Hoops Rumors
