The NBA salary cap has once again fluctuated. The league informed teams in June that the projected salary cap for this offseason would be $99 million.
Shams Charania of The Vertical reports that the cap is expected to stand at $101 million for next season and will rise by $7 million more the next year.
Sources: NBA has informed teams of projected salary cap in next two offseasons: $101M for 2018-19, $108M for 2019-20, subject to change.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 29, 2017
In 2016 the league was flush with cash via a new television deal. With so much money to go around, teams paid players based on the financial climate. An increase in available money meant that more than a few large contracts were signed.
At the time, the deals seemed overly ostentatious, but with the amount of cash available – a result of teams voting against cap smoothing – the money had to go somewhere.
The league had to deal with the consequences of such exorbitant spending. Coupled with a shorter-than-expected postseason, the cap for 2017 saw a slight decrease.
The lowered salary cap this past summer significantly impacted how players were paid.
A few of the league’s players signed deals below their value this past offseason. With teams strapped for cash after a 2016 summer of balling out of control, there wasn’t much left for the middle class of the NBA.
Restricted free agents like Andre Roberson and Nerlens Noel signed deals well below their market value. The 2018 free agency class will see names LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, DeMarcus Cousins, and Chris Paul on the market.
The $2 million increase in salary next summer could go a long way in luring those players away from their current teams. This era of the NBA has been defined by the increase in player movement. No longer do players feel that they have to bound by the team with they may be currently under contract.
In 2019, the San Antonio Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard has a player option, which he could use to test free agency. The cap is projected to increase by $9 million by then, leaving teams once again looking to spend a pretty penny.
