NBA Free Agency 2015: Financial Health Report for Every NBA Team
This time of year, money matters quite a bit in the NBA.
Franchises are looking ahead to the hottest months on the calendar, when they'll try to add young prospects to their rosters in the draft and then outthink each other on the free-agent market. Each contract is important as they try to position themselves for more success than they experienced in 2014-15.
In order to break down each team's financial health, I'll be looking at the remaining contracts that are on the books for the 2015-16 season, the expiring deals, any and all player and team options, the non-guaranteed deals, dead money and everything else that could possibly come up.
No two franchises are in identical situations, after all. That's true even if both squads have exactly the same amount of cap space.
Take two teams (Team A and Team B) with $20 million of cap space at their disposal heading into the 2015 offseason. Both are well off, right?
Well, what if Team A has three All-Stars on the roster and Team B doesn't have one within sniffing distance of the midseason classic? All of a sudden, Team A has much better financial health, even if the numbers are identical.
Money matters, but context matters too.
Finally, it's also worth noting that the salary-cap and luxury-tax thresholds are being projected at $67.1 million and $81.6 million, respectively, per DraftExpress.com's Jonathan Givony. That will be especially important this offseason, as the cap is expected to jump by nearly $23 million after the next season, which makes spending on hefty salaries more palatable in the coming months.
Note: This slide and the next are adapted from the 2014 financial health reports. Do keep in mind that throughout the following team reports, cap holds and qualifying offers will not be included in the "money committed" and "potential maximum committed" sections.
Free-Agency Glossary
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In case you aren't completely up to date with all the technical verbiage that surrounds offseason moves—and don't feel even remotely bad if you're lagging behind—we've got a handy-dandy glossary for you to use as a refresher.
Remember, these are only general summaries of the terms. For more detailed information, check out Larry Coon's FAQ on the collective bargaining agreement or my simplified breakdown of that same CBA.
Restricted Free Agency: When a player hits restricted free agency, any team can offer him a contract. If he signs that offer sheet, the team he last played for has a chance to match that contract (known as the "right of first refusal") and keep him for its duration, so long as they first extended the qualifying offer.
Unrestricted Free Agency: An unrestricted free agent can sign with any team, so long as it has the cap space necessary to give him a contract. The team previously employing him has no opportunity to control him unless he voluntarily chooses to come back.
Salary Cap: When a team is operating below the salary cap, it can sign any free agent. When it's over the cap, a team can only retain its own players or use cap exceptions (check out those links above for details) in order to get around the limitations.
Luxury-Tax Threshold: The same rules apply when a team is above the luxury-tax threshold as when a team is over the salary cap, but there's one crucial difference. Penalties are imposed for each dollar over the threshold, which can weigh heavily on the minds of team owners.
Player Option: When a contract contains a player option, the player has all the power. He can choose to exercise the option and remain with the team for the allotted sum, or he can opt out of the deal and hit unrestricted free agency a year earlier.
Team Option: Essentially the opposite of a player option, a team option puts the power into the hands of the franchise. After using the rest of the contract as an evaluation period, it can choose whether to pay the player the expected salary or let him go as an unrestricted free agent.
Non-Guaranteed Salary: When players aren't exactly sure things, they can often be given non-guaranteed salaries for one or more years. If they aren't waived before a specified date (which varies, depending on the player), the contract becomes guaranteed. If they are, only the guaranteed portion is owed.
Bird Rights: This is far more complicated, and I'll self-servingly refer to my own guide for more details, but Bird rights essentially allow a team to go over the salary cap in order to retain a free agent coming from its own roster.
Cap Hold: Another complicated nuance of the salary cap—this time, Coon is the man for more details—cap holds are meant to prevent teams from signing marquee free agents before using Bird rights to re-sign their own players. They can be placed on draft picks, upcoming free agents and more.
Atlanta Hawks
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Money Committed: $39,750,183
Contracts Expiring: Pero Antic (restricted, $1,560,500 qualifying offer), Elton Brand (unrestricted), DeMarre Carroll (unrestricted), John Jenkins (unrestricted), Paul Millsap (unrestricted)
Player Options: None
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Mike Muscala ($947,276, guaranteed for $473,638)
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $40,223,821
While the Atlanta Hawks may be heading into the offseason with an apparent wealth of cap space, that's a bit misleading.
Two prominent members of the team are both hitting unrestricted free agency, and the Eastern Conference's reigning No. 1 seed will likely need to re-sign both Paul Millsap and DeMarre Carroll if it hopes to push for the second 60-win season in franchise history.
Given Mike Muscala's play during the postseason, it's highly unlikely that he's waived heading into 2015-16, which does push Atlanta to the potential maximum committed. And if a combined $27 million is divvied out to Millsap and Carroll—which may be a conservative estimate, given the latter's play in recent weeks—the Hawks are already going to pushed right up against the projected $67.1 million salary cap.
Fortunately, the Hawks don't need to make any major additions right now. They can remain content to run it back with the same nucleus while bringing in Walter Tavares (a 7'3" behemoth who spent this year playing for Gran Canaria in the Spanish ACB and isn't yet guaranteed to travel across the pond for 2015-16) and whomever they select at No. 15 in the 2015 NBA draft.
Boston Celtics
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Money Committed: $40,406,846
Contracts Expiring: Brandon Bass (unrestricted), Jae Crowder (restricted, $1,181,348 qualifying offer), Luigi Datome (restricted, $2,275,000 qualifying offer), Jonas Jerebko (unrestricted), Phil Pressey (restricted, $1,180,431 qualifying offer)
Player Options: None
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Chris Babb ($947,276, fully unguaranteed)
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $41,354,122
"The race to rival the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference is on, and no rebuilding project is better situated to soon establish itself as a legitimate threat than the Boston Celtics," writes Bleacher Report's Dan Favale, claiming that the C's should be considered a prime free-agent destination this summer.
Boston is truly in fantastic financial shape.
It rosters plenty of young players at remarkably reasonable contracts. Brandon Bass, Jae Crowder and Jonas Jerebko are the only impact players coming off the books, and the team still stands to enter the free-agency frenzy with well over $20 million in cap space. That's enough to go after one of the bigger names on the market, whether it's Kevin Love, Greg Monroe or someone else entirely.
The Celtics are essentially giving a masterclass in the early stages of a rebuild. They've shipped off plenty of marquee players to stockpile both draft picks and financial flexibility, and they've remained competitive while giving young players chances and still collecting high-quality assets.
But now, they have to prove they can hit in the middle and late stages of a rebuild, and that requires spending money in the right way.
Brooklyn Nets
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Money Committed: $75,422,752
Contracts Expiring: Jerome Jordan (restricted, $1,147,276 qualifying offer), Mirza Teletovic (restricted, $4,210,125 qualifying offer)
Player Options: Alan Anderson ($1,333,484), Thaddeus Young ($10,221,739, early termination option)
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Markel Brown ($845,059, fully unguaranteed), Earl Clark ($1,185,784, fully unguaranteed), Cory Jefferson ($845,059, fully unguaranteed), Darius Morris ($1,015,421, fully unguaranteed)
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $90,869,298
Spending power and the Brooklyn Nets currently go together like oil and water.
Even if Alan Anderson turns down his player option, Thaddeus Young exercises his early termination option to hit the open market and the Nets waive Markel Brown, Earl Clark, Cory Jefferson and Darius Morris rather than pay their non-guaranteed salaries, they'll still be nearly $10 million over the projected salary cap before the summer begins.
Realistically, they have only a few courses to travel down while trying to improve.
They can find a major draft steal with the No. 29 pick, hoping they become one of the first teams in NBA history to land a player capable of winning Rookie of the Year that late in the selection process. They can bring back all of their young players, swallow the luxury-tax blow and pray for massive levels of internal improvement. Or they can attempt to trade some of their overpaid veterans for pennies on the dollars with the sole intent of clearing the books and starting with something that at least resembles a clean slate.
In other words, it's not a fun time to root for Brooklyn.
Charlotte Hornets
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Money Committed: $46,176,979
Contracts Expiring: Bismack Biyombo (restricted, $5,194,227 qualifying offer), Jason Maxiell (unrestricted), Jeff Taylor (restricted, $1,181,348 qualifying offer), Mo Williams (unrestricted)
Player Options: Gerald Henderson ($6,000,000), Al Jefferson ($13,500,000)
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: None
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $65,676,979
Even though Al Jefferson has the ability to turn down $13.5 million in 2015-16 and seek a longer deal that secures his financial future, it doesn't seem like he wants to leave the Charlotte Hornets. Not based on what he recently told Fox Sports Carolinas' Brett Jensen:
"If I had my way, I'd finish my career here. I feel like I helped start this and I want to finish it...I love the city, I love my teammates, I love Coach [Steve Clifford] and the coaching staff...It's still something that I have to still talk to my agent any [sic] my peeps about, but I can't see myself leaving, honestly. Right here, right now, I can't see myself leaving.
"
If Jefferson and Gerald Henderson both opt in, the Hornets won't have much spending power this summer. But they have enough young pieces, as well as an early pick in the 2015 NBA draft, that they might not need to make any impact additions. That will be especially true if they try to trade Lance Stephenson during the offseason after his failed first campaign in Charlotte.
The toughest decision will inevitably revolve around Bismack Biyombo. While the Congolese big man has been massively disappointing during his NBA career, he's still only 22 years old and has a chance to become a quality rotation member.
Is that worth extending a $5.2 million qualifying offer?
Only time will tell, though it would probably behoove the Hornets to cut ties with the young center, seek a replacement in the draft and focus on re-signing their other expiring contracts.
Chicago Bulls
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Money Committed: $62,590,142
Contracts Expiring: Aaron Brooks (unrestricted), Jimmy Butler (restricted, $4,433,683 qualifying offer), Mike Dunleavy (unrestricted), Nazr Mohammed (unrestricted)
Player Options: None
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Cameron Bairstow ($845,059, fully unguaranteed), E'Twaun Moore ($1,015,421, fully unguaranteed)
Dead Money: Rip Hamilton ($333,333)
Potential Maximum Committed: $64,450,622
On the first day of the free-agency period, the Chicago Bulls should go ahead and request a meeting with Jimmy Butler and Happy David Walters (his agent), then immediately offer the young swingman a max deal. Based on the projected salary cap, that will come out at around $15.8 million in the first year of the new contract, which would push Chicago's expenditures up to $78.4 million, even if it waives Cameron Bairstow and E'Twaun Moore.
Go ahead and study the Bulls' current roster. The one used next season is going to look awfully similar.
There won't be much intrigue in the Windy City this summer, as the conversations will all focus on four topics:
- Who will replace Tom Thibodeau as the head coach?
- Will the Bulls strike first or match an offer sheet in the Butler pursuit?
- Who will the team draft with the No. 22 pick in this year's selection process?
- How much is the front office willing to pay Mike Dunleavy now that he's a 34-year-old unrestricted free agent?
Chicago will surely go after some low-level contributors to fill out the roster, but there's not enough financial flexibility here for the Bulls to remain big players during the hottest months of the year.
At least there's already plenty of talent in place.
Cleveland Cavaliers
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Money Committed: $25,229,613
Contracts Expiring: Matthew Dellavedova (restricted, $1,147,276 qualifying offer), James Jones (unrestricted), Shawn Marion (unrestricted), Kendrick Perkins (unrestricted), Iman Shumpert (restricted, $4,433,683 qualifying offer), Tristan Thompson (restricted, $6,777,589 qualifying offer)
Player Options: LeBron James ($21,573,398), Kevin Love ($16,744,219), Mike Miller ($2,854,940), J.R. Smith ($6,399,750)
Team Options: Timofey Mozgov ($4,950,000)
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Brendan Haywood ($10,522,500, fully unguaranteed)
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $88,274,420
On the bright side, the Cleveland Cavaliers definitely won't hit their potential maximum committed. Brendan Haywood, who played just 119 minutes during the regular season and has only one playoff appearance heading into the NBA Finals, will almost certainly be waived so the Cavs can save over $10.5 million.
But that's not going to help them have much spending money.
Keeping LeBron James, Kevin Love and J.R. Smith will be a huge priority, and a costly one, too. Whether they opt in (unlikely, as declining their player options would lead to bigger paydays) or opt out and come to new agreements, they're going to push the Cavs right back up against the salary cap. You can also forget about them turning down Timofey Mozgov's extraordinarily reasonable team option.
And the decisions don't stop there.
Re-signing Matthew Dellavedova and Iman Shumpert is important. Bringing back Tristan Thompson may well be crucial.
Last summer, the Cavs had the ability to make huge trades and go after the biggest target on the open market (James). This summer, the entire focus involves bringing back the pieces that have helped make the 2014-15 campaign such a successful one.
Dallas Mavericks
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Money Committed: $28,064,039
Contracts Expiring: J.J. Barea (unrestricted), Tyson Chandler (unrestricted), Bernard James (restricted, $1,181,348 qualifying offer), Richard Jefferson (unrestricted), Rajon Rondo (unrestricted), Greg Smith (unrestricted), Amar'e Stoudemire (unrestricted), Charlie Villanueva (unrestricted)
Player Options: Al-Farouq Aminu ($1,100,602), Monta Ellis ($8,720,000), Raymond Felton ($3,950,313)
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Dwight Powell ($845,059, fully unguaranteed)
Dead Money: Gal Mekel ($315,759)
Potential Maximum Committed: $42,680,013
The Dallas Mavericks could potentially go into the offseason with only Chandler Parsons ($15.4 million), Dirk Nowitzki ($8.3 million) and Devin Harris ($4.1 million) on the roster. Dwight Powell is cheap enough that the Mavericks may as well keep the 23-year-old on the payroll, but everything else is up in the air.
Plenty of key pieces are hitting free agency, and with the exception of Bernard James, everyone is going to be doing so as an unrestricted commodity. The same applies to Al-Farouq Aminu, Monta Ellis and Raymond Felton if they opt out of their deals, and there's a solid chance two of the three could.
Aminu, playing off his impressive postseason, will certainly be available on the open market. He doesn't need to work for a minimum contract again, and he's already told Michael Florek of the Dallas Morning News that he'll be opting out.
Nothing is official on the Ellis front, but it's reasonable to expect that he'll follow suit. He'll turn 30 years old just before the start of the 2015-16 campaign, and this may well be his last big chance to cash in on a deal that pays him more than $9 million per season.
According to the Dallas Morning News' Eddie Sefko, Felton plans to file paperwork and pick up his option, but that's a relatively minor move in the grand scheme of the Mavs' offseason plans. There are bigger fish to fry this summer, and there's a lot of uncertainty all around.
Denver Nuggets
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Money Committed: $47,952,374
Contracts Expiring: Darrell Arthur (unrestricted), Will Barton (restricted, $1,181,348 qualifying offer), Ian Clark (restricted, $1,147,276 qualifying offer)
Player Options: Jameer Nelson ($2,854,940)
Team Options: Randy Foye ($3,135,000)
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Wilson Chandler ($7,171,662, guaranteed for $2,000,000), Jamaal Franklin ($947,276, fully unguaranteed), Erick Green ($845,059, fully unguaranteed)
Potential Maximum Committed: $60,906,311
The Denver Nuggets desperately need to find themselves a superstar. Landing one would go a long way toward establishing some sort of team identity and making it back into the Western Conference playoffs after a two-season absence.
But that's not going to happen in free agency.
It would be nonsensical for the Nuggets to waive Wilson Chandler, and it's unlikely they cut ties with Jamaal Franklin or Erick Green, either. Chandler is still a key player and a useful trade chip, while the other two are young enough that they're worth paying minimum salaries to right now. Denver isn't going to turn down Randy Foye's affordable team option, and that means only Jameer Nelson can give them more financial flexibility.
Will he? It may depend on whether the team allows Melvin Hunt to drop the interim head coach tag.
"He'll keep a close eye on who the Nuggets' next coach is, calling it 'one of the biggest things' that will impact his decision," Christopher Dempsey reports for the Denver Post. "He's partial to Melvin Hunt, who just finished up as the Nuggets interim head coach."
Even if Nelson goes elsewhere, the Nuggets aren't likely to have much spending power. The pursuit of a superstar will depend upon the No. 7 pick in the 2015 NBA draft and the inevitable dangling of Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried in the trade market.
Detroit Pistons
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Money Committed: $32,375,455
Contracts Expiring: Joel Anthony (unrestricted), Reggie Jackson (restricted, $3,222,788 qualifying offer), John Lucas III (unrestricted), Greg Monroe (unrestricted), Tayshaun Prince (unrestricted)
Player Options: Cartier Martin ($1,270,964)
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Quincy Miller ($981,348, fully unguaranteed), Anthony Tolliver ($3,000,000, guaranteed for $400,000), Shawne Williams ($1,356,146, fully unguaranteed)
Dead Money: Aaron Gray ($452,049), Josh Smith ($5,400,000)
Potential Maximum Committed: $38,583,913
Thanks to their midseason decision to waive Josh Smith via the stretch provision, the Detroit Pistons may as well be operating with a salary cap that's over $5 million lower than it would normally be. Technically, it's not changing at all, but they have $5.4 million less—and another $452,049 less because of Aaron Gray—to spend on players who will actually hold down spots on the active roster.
Fear not, residents of the Motor City.
Even with that hefty restriction, the Pistons will still have plenty of interesting decisions to make this summer.
Brandon Jennings will be returning from his ruptured Achilles, which makes Reggie Jackson's restricted free agency even more confusing. Not only will Detroit have to decide whether to match the inevitable eight-figure-per-year deal that he receives from some team in need of a point guard, but even if he's back, it'll have to evaluate his late-season surge and determine if it will keep him ahead of Jennings on the depth chart.
Greg Monroe is also a free agent—unrestricted, not restricted. After a contentious offseason in 2014 that ended with him just playing for the qualifying offer, he had such a successful year that he may still be retained, seemingly against all prior odds.
One way or another, Detroit will end up around the salary cap. Whether that's done by paying for incumbent players or going after new forwards and big men remains up in the air.
Golden State Warriors
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Money Committed: $77,501,793
Contracts Expiring: Leandro Barbosa (unrestricted), Draymond Green (restricted, $2,725,003 qualifying offer), Justin Holiday (restricted, $1,147,276 qualifying offer), Ognjen Kuzmic (restricted, $1,147,276 qualifying offer)
Player Options: Brandon Rush ($1,270,964), Marreese Speights ($3,815,000)
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: James Michael McAdoo ($845,059, fully unguaranteed)
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $83,432,816
No matter what the Golden State Warriors do this offseason, they're going to be over the cap.
Even if Brandon Rush and Marreese Speights decline their player options (which wouldn't exactly be a positive outcome for the Dubs) and the organization chooses to waive James Michael McAdoo after his rookie season, they'll have over $77.5 million committed to a roster with plenty of missing pieces.
Chances are, the Warriors will do everything in their power to keep this group together.
The luxury tax will be involved, but it's necessary to re-sign Leandro Barbosa, Justin Holiday (who's a locker-room favorite, by all appearances) and, most importantly, Draymond Green. The defensive stud is a restricted free agent after the NBA Finals, and he could very well command a max salary.
Here's the crazy part: Let's say Green does get that max deal, which would pay him around $15.8 million for the 2015-16 season. Heading into the follow-up efforts for Stephen Curry's MVP campaign, the following Golden State players would be making the most money:
- Draymond Green, $15,800,000 (approximately)
- Klay Thompson, $15,501,000
- David Lee, $15,493,680
- Andrew Bogut, $12,000,000
- Andre Iguodala, $11,710,456
- Stephen Curry, $11,370,786
Considering his salary, Curry is even more valuable than most think.
Houston Rockets
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Money Committed: $55,924,338
Contracts Expiring: Patrick Beverley (restricted, $2,725,003 qualifying offer), K.J. McDaniels (restricted, $1,045,059 qualifying offer), Josh Smith (unrestricted), Jason Terry (unrestricted)
Player Options: Corey Brewer ($4,905,000)
Team Options: Kostas Papanikolaou ($4,797,664)
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: None
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $65,627,002
"Yeah definitely, that's one of the conversations that me and Daryl [Morey] are going to have," James Harden told ESPN.com's Calvin Watkins, referring to his desire for the Houston Rockets to add another backcourt piece.
Given the team's financial situation, that's going to be a rather difficult proposition.
Sure, the Rockets could turn down Kostas Papanikolaou's $4.8 million team option and then hope Corey Brewer opts out of his similarly valued deal. We don't yet know if the athletic wing player is leaning in that direction, though he could certainly justify doing so to pursue a contract with plenty more years on it.
Even in that situation, the Rockets would be entering the offseason with nearly $56 million tied up, and two of their incumbent backcourt members hitting the open market. Something tells me the bearded 2-guard wouldn't be particularly thrilled if Houston general manager Daryl Morey signed a new point guard or shooting guard to fulfill his wish while Patrick Beverley and Jason Terry both walked.
Plus, Josh Smith is a free agent, and at times he proved his value to the Rockets during the playoffs.
Basically, it will be rather hard for this roster to undergo sweeping changes. The most likely scenario involves running it back with most of the same pieces and hoping for better health this time around.
Indiana Pacers
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Money Committed: $36,022,711
Contracts Expiring: Lavoy Allen (unrestricted), Chris Copeland (restricted, $3,918,750 qualifying offer), Luis Scola (unrestricted), Donald Sloan (unrestricted), Rodney Stuckey (unrestricted), C.J. Watson (unrestricted), Shayne Whittington (unrestricted)
Player Options: Roy Hibbert ($15,514,031), David West ($12,600,000)
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: None
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $64,136,742
Everything depends on the decisions of two big men.
"Though [Indiana Pacers president Larry] Bird appeared hopeful that power forward David West, 34, will take his player option and stick around, he sounded less sure about Hibbert," Candace Buckner reported for IndyStar.com just before the Indiana Pacers-less playoffs began. "When it comes to [Roy] Hibbert, the unknown may be the only thing that's apparent."
There are only four possible scenarios here.
One involves both Roy Hibbert and David West returning to their old stomping grounds, which would basically keep together many of the key pieces who earned the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference when Paul George was healthy. But in that scenario, they'd already be brushing up against the cap and would have to go over just to re-sign players such as Luis Scola and Rodney Stuckey.
If both depart, the Pacers will have plenty of money to spend, but they'll have a yawning chasm in the frontcourt. And if either one leaves while the other stays, Indiana will have enough money to sign a viable starter who would still likely be a downgrade from the big man he's replacing.
Until West and Hibbert have made up their minds, the Pacers will have to remain in flux.
Los Angeles Clippers
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Money Committed: $60,668,248
Contracts Expiring: Glen Davis (unrestricted), Dahntay Jones (unrestricted), DeAndre Jordan (unrestricted), Austin Rivers (unrestricted), Hedo Turkoglu (unrestricted), Ekpe Udoh (unrestricted)
Player Options: None
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Jamal Crawford ($5,675,000, guaranteed for $1,500,000), Jordan Hamilton ($1,015,421, fully unguaranteed), Lester Hudson ($1,015,421, fully unguaranteed)
Dead Money: Carlos Delfino ($650,000), Jordan Farmar ($510,922), Miroslav Raduljica ($300,000)
Potential Maximum Committed: $66,874,090
It's possible the Los Angeles Clippers waive both Lester Hudson and Jordan Hamilton rather than pay their minimum salaries for the 2015-16 campaign. But they're certainly not going to get rid of Jamal Crawford, and retaining his services would have them looking at a $64.8 million bill before the offseason begins.
Oh, and the Clippers don't have any draft picks.
Fixing the bench woes is going to be a rather difficult task for LAC, and that's why it's so important that they re-sign their own free agents. After all, doing so allows them to go well over the cap rather than attempting to reload with other minimum deals and a few cap exceptions.
This offseason is going to center around DeAndre Jordan, who's an unrestricted free agent and will surely draw lots of attention from big markets. We already know he's going to take advantage of his freedom, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be playing for someone other than Doc Rivers next year.
"I mean, I've obviously been here seven years, and the past two have been great," the big man told USA Today's Sam Amick during a podcast (h/t Pro Basketball Talk's Kurt Helin). "Doc has been my biggest supporter and the best coach I've ever had. The team is great. The guys are great. We have great camaraderie. But the free-agency process is definitely going to be a fun one."
Remember how the Los Angeles Lakers were so capped out in 2013 that they were either going to retain Dwight Howard or watch him leave without any way of finding a replacement? That's the same situation the other L.A. team now finds itself in.
Los Angeles Lakers
15 of 31
Money Committed: $35,075,659
Contracts Expiring: Carlos Boozer (unrestricted), Wayne Ellington (unrestricted), Wesley Johnson (unrestricted), Jeremy Lin (unrestricted), Ronnie Price (unrestricted)
Player Options: Ed Davis ($1,100,602)
Team Options: Jordan Hill ($9,000,000)
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Tarik Black ($845,059, fully unguaranteed), Jabari Brown ($845,059, fully unguaranteed), Jordan Clarkson ($845,059, fully unguaranteed), Robert Sacre ($981,348, fully unguaranteed)
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $48,692,786
The Los Angeles Lakers are going to have a fun offseason.
Sure, Kobe Bryant's contract can only be described as ginormous; he's set to make an even $25 million during what could be his final season in the NBA, and that accounts for more than half of the Lake Show's potential maximum committed. And it could become an even higher percentage if GM Mitch Kupchak cuts ties with Jordan Hill rather than pay him $9 million.
The Lakers will inevitably be linked to nearly every marquee free agent this summer. They'll be mentioned as a possible landing spot for everyone from Marc Gasol to Rajon Rondo, and they'll have a decent shot at acquiring two big-name players. After all, if Hill isn't coming back, they can go after two players with eight-figure annual salaries.
Los Angeles always tends to be at the center of the news cycle. This offseason, the Lakers will certainly deserve to occupy that role as they hope to expedite the painful rebuilding process with just a few strokes of the pen.
Memphis Grizzlies
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Money Committed: $38,031,574
Contracts Expiring: Nick Calathes (restricted, $1,147,276 qualifying offer), Marc Gasol (unrestricted), Kosta Koufos (unrestricted)
Player Options: Jeff Green ($9,200,000)
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: JaMychal Green ($845,059, guaranteed for $150,000), Jon Leuer ($1,035,000, fully unguaranteed), Russ Smith ($845,059, guaranteed for $150,000), Beno Udrih ($2,170,465, guaranteed for $923,000)
Dead Money: Jamaal Franklin ($163,296), Fab Melo ($437,080)
Potential Maximum Committed: $50,904,157
As Marc Stein makes clear for ESPN.com, Jeff Green probably isn't going to be turning down $9.2 million:
"The working expectation on Beale Street at the minute is that Green will decide to exercise his $9.2 million player option for next season after falling well short of the dream of being the final piece of the puzzle that Memphis had when it acquired him from Boston in January.
Would he really dare to head into free agency after the Grizz so badly needed him to step into the void created in the starting lineup by Allen's injuries (and struggles once Andrew Bogut started guarding him) and Green didn't deliver?
Seems unlikely.
"
If that's the case, the Grizzlies will be working with much less cap space. Even if they cut ties with all of the non-guaranteed players (not smart, considering the youthful upside and Beno Udrih's presence in that group), they'd still have $47.2 million on the books.
And Marc Gasol wouldn't be included.
Re-signing the big man is quite obviously the top priority on Beale Street, and it's not going to be a cheap endeavor. Given his experience in the league, a max salary would cost the Grizzlies about $18.9 million, and it seems unlikely that he'd agree to terms for anything less.
Miami Heat
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Money Committed: $40,946,369
Contracts Expiring: Michael Beasley (unrestricted)
Player Options: Luol Deng ($10,151,612), Goran Dragic ($7,500,000), Dwyane Wade ($16,125,000)
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: James Ennis ($845,059, fully unguaranteed), Tyler Johnson ($845,059, fully unguaranteed), Henry Walker ($1,100,602, fully unguaranteed), Hassan Whiteside ($981,348, fully unguaranteed)
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $78,495,949
Not everything is going to be as easy as holding onto Hassan Whiteside. Cutting ties with such a dominant big man isn't exactly worth saving under a million dollars, so that decision basically makes itself.
The difficulty begins with the trio of incumbent starters who could opt out of deals and seek longer contracts...or flee South Beach for a new home.
First, we have Luol Deng. There aren't yet any definitive answers about what he'll do with a player option. He's unlikely to make more than $10.2 million elsewhere, but he could certainly sign a lengthy deal before age makes him decline too much.
Goran Dragic is also interesting, simply because there's no telling where he'll most want to play. If the Houston Rockets or Los Angeles Lakers come calling, it could be rather difficult to convince him to return without breaking the bank, despite his apparent love for the franchise.
And while Dwyane Wade would typically be a sure thing to remain a lifelong member of the Heat, that may not be quite so certain.
"Associates aren’t sure what will happen and would not be shocked if Wade leaves," Barry Jackson writes for the Miami Herald. "With the history of success together and everything Wade and the Heat have invested in each other, it’s difficult to fathom Wade finishing his career elsewhere. But Wade staying can no longer be assured."
The Heat would have money to spend if any of the three opted out. But they'd probably prefer to keep the starting five together and allow it to become one of the NBA's more dangerous units.
Milwaukee Bucks
18 of 31
Money Committed: $43,885,919
Contracts Expiring: Khris Middleton (restricted, $2,725,003 qualifying offer)
Player Options: Jared Dudley ($4,250,000, early termination option)
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Jorge Gutierrez ($947,276, fully unguaranteed)
Dead Money: Larry Sanders ($1,865,546)
Potential Maximum Committed: $49,083,195
The good news for the Milwaukee Bucks is that Larry Sanders isn't going to cause a crippling cap hit. Thanks to the handy-dandy stretch provision, the organization will be paying him until the 2021-22 season, but the money owed is at least manageable.
Top priority for Milwaukee will certainly be retaining the services of Khris Middleton, who enters the offseason as a restricted free agent. Though he's not a max player, he's likely to command eight figures, and he'd be worth that asking price for a franchise that desperately needs to add offensive pieces, not lose the few players who were capable of scoring from all over the court.
Even if the Bucks hold onto Jared Dudley and Jorge Gutierrez, then spring for Middleton at a $12 million price tag, they'll have a bit more money to spend. This up-and-coming team is still in fantastic financial shape, especially with so many quality contributors operating on rookie-scale contracts.
Of course, things get trickier if Middleton signs a max offer sheet elsewhere, and that remains a distinct possibility.
Minnesota Timberwolves
19 of 31
Money Committed: $56,065,800
Contracts Expiring: Kevin Garnett (unrestricted), Justin Hamilton (restricted, $1,147,276 qualifying offer), Robbie Hummel (restricted, $1,147,276 qualifying offer), Gary Neal (unrestricted), Arinze Onuaku (restricted, $1,184,095 qualifying offer)
Player Options: None
Team Options: Lorenzo Brown ($947,276)
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: None
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $57,013,076
The Minnesota Timberwolves are in a rather unique situation, and it won't change after they add either Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor with the No. 1 pick of the 2015 NBA draft (barring a shocking selection that goes against reason).
This roster is loaded with young talent, and it doesn't need to make many veteran additions. Bringing back Kevin Garnett and Gary Neal is an exception, not an overall course of action, since the Wolves don't want players with established ceilings to keep their upside-laden roster from reaching its potential.
Usually, you want your team to be competing for a top seed in the playoffs when you're drawing near the cap before the offseason begins, but that's not really the case in Minnesota. Instead, it has to be pleased with the collection of talent, and patience is now key.
Of course, managing to unload Nikola Pekovic's salary—and maybe even Kevin Martin's—would change the mentality and give the Wolves a little bit more financial leeway.
New Orleans Pelicans
20 of 31
Money Committed: $40,282,846
Contracts Expiring: Alexis Ajinca (unrestricted), Omer Asik (unrestricted), Luke Babbitt (unrestricted), Norris Cole (restricted, $3,036,927 qualifying offer), Dante Cunningham (unrestricted), Toney Douglas (unrestricted), Jimmer Fredette (unrestricted), Jeff Withey (restricted, $1,147,276 qualifying offer)
Player Options: Eric Gordon ($15,514,031)
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: None
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $55,796,877
If you think that Eric Gordon is going to opt out of a $15.5 million deal, you're wrong.
He's not. Period.
And as a result, the New Orleans Pelicans will go into the offseason with a little under $12 million in spending money. Considering how few players are still on the roster for 2015-16, that's going to leave them with a lot of work to be done.
Including the aforementioned guard, NOLA will enter the summer with just six players under control: Gordon ($15.5 million), Tyreke Evans ($10.7 million), Jrue Holiday ($10.6 million), Ryan Anderson ($8.5 million, Anthony Davis ($7.1 million) and Quincy Pondexter ($3.4 million).
That's a tremendous core, but it's also an expensive one.
The Pelicans basically have to rely on using Bird rights to re-sign players, since there's not enough money to make any free-agency splashes with standouts who didn't finish the 2014-15 campaign by the bayou.
New York Knicks
21 of 31
Money Committed: $32,427,391
Contracts Expiring: Quincy Acy (restricted, $1,181,348 qualifying offer), Lou Amundson (unrestricted), Cole Aldrich (unrestricted), Andrea Bargnani (unrestricted), Shane Larkin (unrestricted), Ricky Ledo (restricted, $1,184,095 qualifying offer), Alexey Shved (restricted, $4,102,570 qualifying offer), Jason Smith (unrestricted), Lance Thomas (unrestricted), Travis Wear (restricted, $1,045,059 qualifying offer)
Player Options: None
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Langston Galloway ($845,059, fully unguaranteed)
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $33,272,450
Being a New York Knicks fan has not been a particularly pleasant experience for the past few years, but this summer might change that. Once the team decides to keep Langston Galloway—it should be an easy decision, since he was one of the squad's best players during his rookie season—it'll only have just over $33 million on the books.
Granted, there aren't many guys on the roster.
Other than Galloway, the Knicks keep control of Carmelo Anthony ($22.9 million), Jose Calderon ($7.4 million), Tim Hardaway Jr. ($1.3 million) and Cleanthony Early ($800,000). That's it, and there's a strong chance that Calderon is floated as trade bait throughout the summer, if only to clear up even more cap space.
The Knicks have a threadbare collection right now, but they're going to be going after all the big names this summer. Marc Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge and plenty of other marquee free agents will all be offered meetings with the New York front office, and the team will surely try to give away a max contract, as well as some other large ones.
Nothing is guaranteed to work, but at least the summer offers hope. This season certainly didn't.
Oklahoma City Thunder
22 of 31
Money Committed: $76,222,508
Contracts Expiring: Enes Kanter (restricted, $7,471,412 qualifying offer), Kyle Singler (restricted, $2,725,003 qualifying offer)
Player Options: None
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: None
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $76,222,508
"Yes, it is," Serge Ibaka recently told Bleacher Report's Dan Favale when asked if this Oklahoma City Thunder squad was going to be a championship contender in 2015-16. "That's something that's never going to change for us. We have that in our minds. I'm sure of it. Everything that happened this year was tough. But we're going to be healthy next year, and we're going to try to go for it."
It's tough to disagree, even if there's no spending power whatsoever this summer.
The Thunder will have a new face on the sidelines, ready to infuse some creativity into the offensive schemes. They'll have a healthy Kevin Durant, a surgically repaired Ibaka and a refreshed Russell Westbrook working together while surrounded by plenty of other talented pieces. Oh, and they'll get to bring in a lottery talent with the No. 14 pick in the 2015 NBA draft.
That surely makes up for heading into the offseason well over the cap. OKC won't be able to pursue any big free agents other than Enes Kanter, but bringing back the offensively talented big man would allow for a strong rotation at center—assuming management is willing to pay a bit of luxury tax.
When your roster looks like the Thunder's already does, there's really no need for cap space.
Orlando Magic
23 of 31
Money Committed: $38,875,805
Contracts Expiring: Willie Green (unrestricted), Tobias Harris (restricted, $4,433,683 qualifying offer), Kyle O'Quinn (restricted, $1,181,348 qualifying offer)
Player Options: None
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Dewayne Dedmon ($947,276, fully unguaranteed), Roy Devyn Marble ($845,059, fully unguaranteed), Ben Gordon ($4,500,000, fully unguaranteed), Luke Ridnour ($2,750,000, fully unguaranteed)
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $47,918,140
The Orlando Magic aren't usually mentioned alongside the Los Angeles Lakers or New York Knicks, but they may well have a similar amount of money to spend. After all, there's not much reason for them to bring back Ben Gordon or Luke Ridnour for the prices listed above, which means they'll be far closer to the initial money committed than the potential maximum committed.
And if they don't feel the need to match offers for Tobias Harris—given the presence of Aaron Gordon and Channing Frye, as well as the ability to add another forward in the draft—they should have enough money to offer a max contract. That should even remain true after inking a lottery pick, though a veteran max would be out of the question.
"Now, however, the focus on free agency will—and must—start to change. The team should add a veteran or veterans who are in the prime of their careers. Ideally, the team should seek veterans who can contribute on both sides of the ball," Josh Robbins writes for the Orlando Sentinel while arguing that the old habit of discounting the impact of free agency need no longer apply for this up-and-coming franchise.
Philadelphia 76ers
24 of 31
Money Committed: $26,703,762
Contracts Expiring: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (unrestricted), Jason Richardson (unrestricted), Thomas Robinson (unrestricted), Glenn Robinson III (restricted, $1,045,059 qualifying offer), Henry Sims (restricted, $1,181,348 qualifying offer), Ish Smith (unrestricted), Ronny Turiaf (unrestricted)
Player Options: None
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Isaiah Canaan ($947,276, guaranteed for $757,821), Robert Covington ($1,000,000, fully unguaranteed), JaKarr Sampson ($845,059, fully unguaranteed), Hollis Thompson ($947,276, fully unguaranteed)
Dead Money: JaVale McGee ($12,000,000)
Potential Maximum Committed: $29,685,552
Even if the Philadelphia 76ers hang onto all of their players with non-guaranteed salaries, they'll only have $17.7 million in contracts on the active roster. JaVale McGee won't be playing for the team in 2015-16, and his dead money is still nearly accounting for half of what currently shows up on the ledgers.
That's flat-out ridiculous for so many reasons that don't need explaining.
Even after the Sixers pay their 7,182 draft picks (roughly) from the June 25 selection process, they're still going to have as much cap space as anyone. The issue won't be finding money to pay players, but rather finding players who are willing to take money and suit up for an organization that has shown no desire to win right away.
And that's assuming GM Sam Hinkie abandons his long-term plans and actually goes after immediate impact players. We could be left looking at another offseason in which the Sixers are scrambling to meet the minimum salary threshold, even with the Scrooge McDuck levels of cap space Philadelphia will have at its disposal.
Phoenix Suns
25 of 31
Money Committed: $41,038,578
Contracts Expiring: Earl Barron (unrestricted), Gerald Green (unrestricted), Brandon Knight (restricted, $4,790,680 qualifying offer), Marcus Thornton (unrestricted), Brandan Wright (unrestricted)
Player Options: Danny Granger ($2,170,465)
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Jerel McNeal ($981,348, fully unguaranteed)
Dead Money: Michael Beasley ($777,778)
Potential Maximum Committed: $44,190,391
"In discussing an extension last year, the [Milwaukee] Bucks held the line on [Brandon] Knight at $9 million per year, where Knight wanted something in the range of four years and $48 million," SportingNews.com's Sean Deveney recently reported about the free-agent point guard. " It will might take a little more to sign Knight this summer, given his improvement in his time with Milwaukee..."
The Suns will be looking to do everything possible to re-sign the former Buck, or else they never would've broken up their admittedly unhappy backcourt to acquire him. And if Knight is drawing $13 million in 2015-16, that still gives Phoenix a significant amount of money to spend, especially if Danny Granger turns down his player option.
That said, don't expect the Suns to serve as major players in the open market this year. They have to bring back some of their own pieces and sign their draft picks, and the combination won't allow for too much extra spending.
Instead, the organization will have to make the right small-scale moves in order to keep moving up the Western Conference standings after falling out of the playoff push late in the season during each of the last two years.
Portland Trail Blazers
26 of 31
Money Committed: $24,020,351
Contracts Expiring: LaMarcus Aldridge (unrestricted), Joel Freeland (restricted, $3,766,890 qualifying offer), Alonzo Gee (unrestricted), Robin Lopez (unrestricted), Wesley Matthews (unrestricted), Dorell Wright (unrestricted)
Player Options: Arron Afflalo ($7,750,000), Steve Blake ($2,170,465)
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Tim Frazier ($845,069, fully unguaranteed), Chris Kaman ($5,016,000, guaranteed for $1,000,000)
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $38,801,885
Don't be fooled by those low numbers.
The Portland Trail Blazers might appear to have plenty of spending power this offseason, but that's the sort of thing that tends to happen when your entire roster is hitting the open market. Obviously, that's an exaggeration—just not by much.
When everyone is healthy, Rip City has boasted one of the best starting fives in the Association for a few years running. Now, LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews and Robin Lopez are all hitting free agency with no restrictions, and there's no telling what any of them will do. And if that's not enough, rotation stalwarts off the bench have expiring contracts as well, even if Arron Afflalo opts in and returns to the Pacific Northwest for one more season.
The Blazers will certainly go after their own players first and foremost. But if Aldridge signs elsewhere—with the Dallas Mavericks or San Antonio Spurs, for example—the entire plan will have to change. Then, you'll be looking at a high-quality organization with money to blow and talent to acquire.
Sacramento Kings
27 of 31
Money Committed: $53,149,680
Contracts Expiring: Omri Casspi (unrestricted), Reggie Evans (unrestricted), Ryan Hollins (unrestricted), Andre Miller (unrestricted), Derrick Williams (restricted, $8,262,482 qualifying offer)
Player Options: None
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Ray McCallum ($947,276, fully unguaranteed), Eric Moreland ($845,059, fully unguaranteed), David Stockton ($845,059, fully unguaranteed)
Dead Money: Wayne Ellington ($923,780)
Potential Maximum Committed: $55,787,064
Rudy Gay won't be making as much during the 2015-16 season as he did in 2014-15, but he's still going to take $12.4 million out of the Sacramento Kings' coffers. Between him, DeMarcus Cousins, Carl Landry, Jason Thompson and the rest of the returning roster, this rebuilding squad won't have all that much money to spend.
Even if the Kings cut ties with Ray McCallum, Eric Moreland and David Stockton, they'll enter the offseason with over $53 million on the books, and that's before all of the relevant cap holds. Regardless of whether they extend a qualifying offer to Derrick Williams, their own free agents and their lottery pick in the 2015 NBA draft ensure that they aren't going to be major players this summer.
Is that really a bad thing, though?
While Sacramento wasn't particularly competitive this past season, it has plenty of quality parts in place. Growth from the young contributors, an infusion of talent in the draft and stability in the coaching ranks should surely work wonders.
San Antonio Spurs
28 of 31
Money Committed: $34,159,327
Contracts Expiring: Jeff Ayres (unrestricted), Aron Baynes (restricted, $2,596,250 qualifying offer), Marco Belinelli (unrestricted), Matt Bonner (unrestricted), Tim Duncan (unrestricted), Manu Ginobili (unrestricted), Danny Green (unrestricted), Cory Joseph (restricted, $3,034,091 qualifying offer), Kawhi Leonard (restricted, $4,045,894 qualifying offer), Reggie Williams (unrestricted)
Player Options: None
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: None
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $34,159,327
Trusting the San Antonio Spurs is always a good idea. But this offseason, they've got their work cut out for them.
Re-signing Kawhi Leonard will be the top priority, whether it's done through offering him a max deal right away or exercising the right of first refusal after he signs an offer sheet later in the offseason. But it's not like the team can just rest after locking up its star of the future.
That much should be obvious just by the sheer number of expiring contracts listed above. With the exception of Reggie Williams and Jeff Ayres, they were all rotation players who had a say in the Spurs' success.
San Antonio won't only be looking to re-sign old faces, though. Attempting to lure LaMarcus Aldridge or Marc Gasol will be in the works as well, and that will take some tricky financial maneuvering. Without convincing some of the Spurs stalwarts to take discounted deals, GM R.C. Buford won't be successful in those high-profile ventures.
Strange as this may be for an organization defined by consistent success, this could be the most important offseason in a long time for the Spurs.
Toronto Raptors
29 of 31
Money Committed: $49,049,074
Contracts Expiring: Landry Fields (unrestricted), Tyler Hansbrough (unrestricted), Chuck Hayes (unrestricted), Amir Johnson (unrestricted), Greg Stiemsma (unrestricted)
Player Options: None
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: None
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $49,049,074
Amir Johnson is surprisingly valuable to the Toronto Raptors, given that he's not even remotely a household name at this stage of his career. Fortunately for the Canadian representatives, they can afford to bring him back on a reasonable deal and still look elsewhere for roster help.
Of course, this is assuming they keep the current core together. Trading Kyle Lowry or DeMar DeRozan would obviously change everything, and that possibility can't be ruled out after such a disappointing first-round postseason sweep at the hands of the Washington Wizards.
All things considered, Toronto is still in a pretty good situation.
General manager Masai Ujiri knows what he's doing, and he has money to work with while attempting to improve a roster that's nearly guaranteed to get back into the playoffs with the current pieces. Plenty of squads throughout the Association would be quite jealous of that type of start.
Utah Jazz
30 of 31
Money Committed: $46,780,610
Contracts Expiring: Jeremy Evans (unrestricted), Joe Ingles (restricted, $1,045,059 qualifying offer)
Player Options: None
Team Options: Elijah Millsap ($845,059)
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: Trevor Booker ($4,775,000, fully unguaranteed), Jack Cooley ($845,059, fully unguaranteed), Bryce Cotton ($845,059, fully unguaranteed), Chris Johnson ($981,348, fully unguaranteed)
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $55,072,135
Much like the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Utah Jazz don't need to spend the money they'll have at their disposal. Adding too many veterans would be problematic, given the need to continue developing the myriad young talents on the roster.
Unlike the Wolves, the Jazz are already competitive.
They were one of the Western Conference's better squads during the second half of the 2014-15 campaign, boasting a suffocating defense helmed by Rudy Gobert and his alien arms. Now, they should pick up where they left off, assuming all the key pieces are brought back.
With upside at every position and veterans who already work with this roster, why try for free-agent splashes this summer?
Washington Wizards
31 of 31
Money Committed: $64,650,940
Contracts Expiring: Rasual Butler (unrestricted), Will Bynum (unrestricted), Drew Gooden (unrestricted), Kevin Seraphin (unrestricted)
Player Options: Paul Pierce ($5,543,725), Garrett Temple ($1,100,602)
Team Options: None
Non-Guaranteed Salaries: None
Dead Money: None
Potential Maximum Committed: $71,295,267
The Washington Wizards are basically locked into their current roster, especially because they won't want to hand out any more long-term contracts that could get in the way of a 2016 pursuit of Kevin Durant. Plus, Bradley Beal will eventually be given a rather large extension, so that has to be factored in.
Right now, the biggest question mark is Paul Pierce.
"Washington's main issue is complacency," David Aldridge writes for NBA.com. "The Wizards could stand pat if Pierce decides to return to D.C. next season rather than opt out of his deal, but many around the league believe Pierce will do just that and finish his career back home in Los Angeles with the Clippers."
If Pierce leaves, the Wizards will enter the offseason just below the expected salary cap. But they'll also be left hoping for massive internal improvement—mostly from Otto Porter, who did look quite good during the 2015 playoffs.
Either way, the cap is already looming in the nation's capital.
Note: All salary information comes from Spotrac.com, Shamsports.com, Basketball-Reference.com and Rotoworld.com.
Adam Fromal covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @fromal09.
