With the bulk of free agency all but over, the NBA is turning its focus onto next year. An unprecedented leap in the salary cap this year led to major spending by every team. Next year, the cap is expected to continue to rise. However, it does not appear to be increasing by as much as previously expected.
Initial projections for the 2017-18 season had the salary cap set at about $107 million. But in a memo sent out to every team, and brought to our attention by Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders, the league has lowered that projection to $102 million.
This means that the cap is still expected to increase by about eight million dollars. It could also conceivable be higher as league estimates are generally on the lower end of the spectrum.
It will, however, have a bit of a tough effect on teams. Many may have planned according to earlier cap projections and the five million dollar dropoff is a fairly large one.
However, it will likely not affect teams this early. As next year’s free agency gets closer, the league will give better estimates, allowing teams to plan ahead.
This news may have one other slight effect. With less money to spend, 2017-18 may be another year in which the owners have to give money to the players as part of the revenue sharing of the basketball-related income. Of course, this would be pending any changes to the CBA. Both the league and the players have the ability to opt out of the current one in 2017.
