The NBA salary cap may not be skyrocketing totally out of control for very much longer.
According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN on Thursday, the league, in an unexpected twist, has lowered the cap projection for the 2017-18 season from $107 million to $102 million and the luxury tax line projection from $127 million to $122 million.
Such a projection would still mark a decently-sized spike from the 2016-17 numbers of an approximately $94 million salary cap and a luxury tax line of about $113 million. But it is a much more conservative estimated increase after the cap ballooned from $70 million in 2015-16, even coming in higher than initial calculations made before the season.
The updated projections are based on the current collective bargaining agreement, which could be opted out of by either the NBA or the players’ union by December 15. As such, the numbers could still be subject to change.
Windhorst also notes that this news could make it difficult for the Golden State Warriors to keep their new superteam intact since Kevin Durant is signing a 1+1 deal that will potentially allow him to test free agency again next year, before the Warriors obtain his full rights. Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next summer as well, though Golden State will retain full rights on both players.
With those guys part of another loaded free agent class set to hit the open market in 2017, NBA teams may finally be forced to pump the brakes a bit on the spending bonanzas they have become accustomed to over the last couple of offseasons.
