NBA Rumors: Projected 2022-23 Salary Cap, Luxury Tax Levels Set at $122M, $149M
From an on-court standpoint, the NBA has a wide-open title picture that puts the league as close as it's ever been to true parity.
From a financial standpoint, business is apparently booming.
The league has increased its estimate for the 2022-23 salary cap to $122 million and the luxury tax to $149 million, the second time in two months the league has estimated an increase, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
From a practical standpoint, the increase won't mean much besides some slightly lessened tax bills for certain teams. Cap space is expected to be scarce this summer even with the rising cap; every team is projected over the cap and only two teams, the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs, can even carve out meaningful space without a big trade.
Bradley Beal, Zach LaVine and Kyrie Irving can all become unrestricted free agents this summer, but they are all considered likely to stay in their current homes. Even if one of the three wanted to leave this summer, they would have to carve out a sign-and-trade to make the deal work.
The shift in the luxury tax will be a massive boon for teams like the Nets, Clippers and Warriors, who are well into repeater tax territory. Over the last two months, the teams have saved eight figures in expected tax payments.
By contrast, non-tax teams have lost that money.
