The NBA is made up of the world’s best basketball talent and is one of the richest leagues in the world.
Thirty teams are allowed to have star players, but there is cap space that all teams must follow.
However, the NBA works with soft caps that allow teams to cross the cap, but with some limitations.
The league’s salary cap for next season is set at $154.6 million, but this doesn’t mean it needs to be under this limit.
They could reach the $187.9 million luxury tax threshold, the first apron, of $199.9 million.
Teams violating these marks will be categorized as the second apron, set at $207.8 million next season, but the teams within them face many issues.
The second apron was first introduced in a collective bargaining agreement announced in 2023.
This is a fierce penalty zone for a problematic team, and a response to teams agreeing to stay in a gorgeous tax to compete for the championship.
The second apron team loses the ability to build a major roster, including draft pick penalties.
Another major penalty team in the second apron is that they cannot sign mid-level exceptions for taxpayers.
What this indirectly means is losing the ability to sign players in team-friendly deals. An example of a mid-level taxpayer exception is Dario Saric. He signed a two-year, $10.6 million contract with the Denver Nuggets, his final offseason.
The second apron team is also unable to trade the first round pick of the seven years in the future, making it difficult to build a good roster.
The Phoenix Suns, Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics were the second teams in the apron of the season.
All these aspects are working on moving out of the second apron, which may require them to replace some of their stars.
The Celtics are a team that is expected to see a lot of change, and Brian Windhorst has already said that Kevin Durant could be leaving Phoenix.
Meanwhile, Timberwolves has three players with player options, allowing you to leave your second apron if you opt out and sign as a free agent.
Windhorst also made it clear that Minnesota will be given the opportunity to sign KD.