Latest news with #CarisLeVert
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hawks rumors: What Jake Fischer is hearing about draft trades, free agency
The post Hawks rumors: What Jake Fischer is hearing about draft trades, free agency appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Atlanta Hawks made a run to the Eastern Conference finals in 2021. However, the Hawks have participated in the Play-In Tournament in every season since then. With one NBA expert backing Atlanta's plan to hold on to Trae Young, how the team approaches the draft and free agency is crucial. With Bryson Graham and Onsi Saleh in new roles, NBA Insider Jake Fischer reported that Caris LeVert could remain with the Hawks as the team continues to climb the ranks in their conference. Advertisement Atlanta holds the 13th and 22nd pick in this year's draft. In the past, teams with multiple picks in the first round package them together in an effort to move up. However, it appears as though the Hawks will make both picks instead of making a trade. In a draft class as deep as this year's is expected to be, taking multiple bites at the apple could help Atlanta unearth another solid role player. Their dynamic trio of Young, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu have talent, but need 3-and-D players around them. Graham joined the front office and Saleh taking the mantle as general manager earlier this year. Because of their lack of cap space, they could be biggest changes the team makes. Both bring experience into their positions and face pressure to help the Hawks improve. With Jayson Tatum's torn ACL ruling him out next season, the Eastern Conference is wide open. Atlanta's last deep playoff run was as a dark horse team. Next season provides them a perfect opportunity to do it again. In order to do that, they need to retain their rotation this offseason. LeVert was a part of the return that the Hawks got when they traded DeAndre Hunter to the Cleveland Cavaliers. According to Fischer, Atlanta wants to bring him back this summer. Advertisement 'Sources say Atlanta has shown a keen interest in retaining free agent guard Caris LeVert after bringing the veteran scorer to the Hawks as part of the return for trading De'Andre Hunter,' said Fischer. Despite being in trade rumors all season, it appears that Young could be in Atlanta for the long haul. If they capitalize in the draft and stay healthy, the Hawks have what they need to make noise in the Eastern Conference. Related: Trae Young gives inside look at Oklahoma basketball job Related: Zach Lowe drops firm take on Trae Young's future with Hawks
Miami Herald
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Analysis: After refusing to bottom out, the top is near for Pacers
As an exasperated NBA continues its never-ending quest to stamp out tanking, here come the Indiana Pacers rising from the debris of mediocrity, right on cue. There is a long-held belief in the NBA that the worst place to be is stuck in the middle: never bad enough to be in a position to draft top talent, but never quite good enough to compete for championships. It's Interstate 405 in Los Angeles, and it's rush hour. The league has increased its efforts in recent years to abolish tanking. It can use the Pacers as proof that it is possible to win big without it. Indiana is returning to the finals for the first time in 25 years after plenty of seasons spent stuck in the middle, but it has never entered a season trying to lose. Oh, there have been plenty of losses along the way. Indiana won 25 games in Rick Carlisle's return season, but it was a year derailed by injuries. In this case, intent matters. The Pacers began the 2021-22 season with playoff aspirations but became sellers at the trade deadline, sending Caris LeVert to the Cleveland Cavaliers for picks and acquiring Tyrese Haliburton from the Sacramento Kings in a separate deal that reshaped their future. At no point did the franchise enter a season with the idea of playing for lottery odds instead of wins. Not when Larry Bird was there as an executive, not when Frank Vogel coached, not when Carlisle was there the first time, and certainly not now. They have been tempted. The Pacers came close to acquiring Russell Westbrook's massive expiring contract in 2022 and picking up a first-round pick for the team owner Herb Simon's willingness to pay him. But such a move would have been a concession that the Pacers were giving up and bottoming out. The deal collapsed when the Lakers refused to add another first-rounder, and Myles Turner remained in Indianapolis. Now they are thrilled to still have him. Players never compete intending to lose, of course. But front offices can rig rosters so winning is nearly impossible. The Pacers never did that. In fact, throughout the last quarter-century, they have been more of a model for exactly how not to compete for an NBA championship. They made the playoffs in nine of the 10 seasons from 2010-11 to 2019-20 but advanced to the conference finals only twice. They were eliminated in the first round five consecutive years -- the definition of milquetoast. That was during the era of superteams and when LeBron James reigned in the East. Now the Pacers are thriving with healthy organizational development. Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker were top 10 selections. The rest of this roster was constructed with midround picks or lower, aggressive trades, economical free-agent signings and a touch of patience. They resisted the urge to give up on Turner too soon. They gambled on Haliburton when they traded away Domantas Sabonis, who made a pair of All-Star Games while with the Pacers. They gambled on Pascal Siakam, trading three first-round picks for a player who was close to free agency. Siakam was the most valuable player of the conference finals and is still wearing Pacers colors. The Pacers have not paid the luxury tax since 2006. They have not picked in the top five since 1988. Yet they played for the NBA Cup and advanced to the conference finals last season, and now they are four wins from an NBA championship. Rarely have teams beaten a pair of 60-win teams to win a title. The Houston Rockets were the last to do it, in 1994. If the Pacers conquer the Thunder -- Game 1 of the NBA Finals is Thursday night in Oklahoma City -- Indiana will become the first team in NBA history to beat a pair of 64-win teams on the way to a ring. They eliminated the 64-win Cavaliers in the second round, and the Thunder won 68 games this season. Similarly, Indiana can eliminate seven All-NBA players in this postseason. It ended the seasons of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Still to come are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. Considering Haliburton was a third-team All-NBA selection, the Pacers could eliminate half of the remaining All-NBA players this postseason. They might not be the dominant monsters of dynasties past, but this has a chance to become a historic run of success nonetheless. This is exactly how the league wants teams to build now. What did not seem feasible when stars were teaming up in desirable markets now might be the best path forward: try hard, compete, draft wisely and organically develop talent the hard way. It is how the Denver Nuggets won two years ago. It is how the Pacers are doing it now. The last two lottery winners cashed in odds of 3% or less to win the No. 1 pick, an indication the current system is working as the league intended since flattening the lottery odds again in 2019. In the seven lotteries since, a team with the best odds won the first pick four times. The other three winners were long shots. Losing assures nothing. Tanking will probably never be abolished, but the NBA is much closer to its end goal than it was a decade ago. The Pacers never tried to lose. Now they're on the cusp, finally, of winning big. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Copyright 2025
New York Times
04-06-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Pacers are the team that never tanked. The NBA should rejoice
As an exasperated league continues its never-ending quest to stamp out tanking, here come the Indiana Pacers rising from the debris of mediocrity, right on cue. There is a long-held belief in the NBA that the worst place to be is stuck in the middle. Never bad enough to be in position to draft top talent, but never quite good enough to compete for championships. It's the 405 in Los Angeles and it's rush hour. Advertisement The NBA has increased its efforts in recent years to abolish tanking. It can use the Pacers as proof it's possible to win big without it. Indiana is returning to the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years after plenty of seasons spent stuck in the middle, but it has never once entered a season trying to lose. Oh, there have been plenty of losses along the way. Indiana won 25 games in Rick Carlisle's return season, but it was a year wrecked with injuries. In this case, intent matters. The Pacers began the 2021-22 season with playoff aspirations but became sellers at the trade deadline, sending Caris LeVert to the Cleveland Cavaliers for picks and acquiring Tyrese Haliburton from the Sacramento Kings in a separate deal that reshaped their future. At no point did the franchise enter a season with the idea of playing for lottery odds instead of wins. Not when Larry Bird was there, not when Frank Vogel coached, not when Carlisle was there the first time, and certainly not now. They've been tempted. The Pacers came close to acquiring Russell Westbrook's massive expiring contract in 2022 and picking up a first-round pick for owner Herb Simon's willingness to pay him. But such a move would have been a concession that the Pacers were giving up and bottoming out. The deal collapsed when the Lakers refused to add another first-rounder, and Myles Turner remained in Indianapolis. Now they're thrilled to still have him. HOW THE PACERS WERE BUILT 🏁 — NBA (@NBA) May 14, 2025 Players never compete intending to lose, of course. But front offices can rig rosters so winning is nearly impossible. The Pacers never did that. In fact, throughout the last quarter century, they have been more of a model for exactly how not to compete for an NBA championship. They made the playoffs nine out of 10 years between 2011 and 2020 but advanced to the conference finals only once. They were eliminated in the first round five consecutive years — the definition of milquetoast. Advertisement That was during the era of super teams when LeBron James reigned in the East. Now the Pacers are thriving with healthy organizational development. Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker were top 10 selections. The rest of this roster was constructed with mid-round picks or lower, aggressive trades, economical free-agent signings and a touch of patience. They resisted the urge to give up on Turner too soon. They gambled on Haliburton when they traded away Domantas Sabonis, who made a pair of All-Star games while with the Pacers. They gambled on Pascal Siakam, trading three first-round picks for a player who was close to free agency. Now, Siakam is the MVP of the conference finals and still wearing Pacers colors. They haven't paid the luxury tax since 2006. They haven't picked in the top five since 1988. Yet they played for the NBA Cup and advanced to the conference finals last season, and now they're four wins from a championship. Rarely have teams beaten a pair of 60-win teams to win a title. The Houston Rockets were the last to do it, in 1994. If they conquer the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Pacers will become the first team in NBA history to beat a pair of 64-win teams en route to a ring. They already eliminated the 64-win Cavs in the second round, and the Thunder won 68 games this season. Similarly, Indiana can eliminate seven All-NBA players just in this postseason. It ended the seasons of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Still to come are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. Considering Haliburton was a third-team All-NBA selection, the Pacers could eliminate half of the remaining All-NBA players this postseason. They might not be the dominant monsters of dynasties past, but this has a chance to become a historic run of success nonetheless. Advertisement This is exactly how the league wants teams to build now. What didn't seem feasible when stars were partnering up in desirable markets now might be the best path forward: try hard, compete, draft wisely and organically develop talent the hard way. It's how the Denver Nuggets won two years ago. It's how the Pacers are doing it now. The last two lottery winners cashed in odds of 3 percent or less to win the No. 1 pick, an indication the current system is working as the league intended since flattening the lottery odds again in 2019. In the seven lotteries since, a team with the best odds won the first pick four times. The other three winners were complete long shots. Losing assures nothing. Tanking will probably never be abolished, but the NBA is much closer to its end goal than it was a decade ago. The Pacers never tried to lose. Now they're on the cusp, finally, of winning big. (Illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic; Stacy Revere / Getty, Dylan Buell / Getty, Jason Miller / Getty)
Newsweek
01-06-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Pistons, Nets Set to Compete For $32M Free Agent Forward: Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Two Eastern Conference clubs with two very different trajectories could compete for an intriguing free agent this summer. The Brooklyn Nets finished with a 26-56 record under first-year head coach Jose Fernandez Torres, and as of this writing are set to have five picks (including four in the first round) in next month's impending 2025 NBA Draft — starting with the No. 8 selection. Devoid of any foundational All-Stars, Brooklyn has managed to restock its draft equity and cap space, and could look to pull a Detroit Pistons this offseason by signing competent veterans to compete alongside intriguing young players like Cam Thomas and Nic Claxton. More NBA News: NBA Executives Expect Surprising East Team to Trade for Top Pick After bringing in talented vets like forward Tobias Harris, shooting guard Malik Beasley, and wing Tim Hardaway Jr. over the summer (plus point guard Dennis Schroder midseason), the Pistons improved to a 43-39 record and snagged the East's No. 6 seed. LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers posts up against Caris LeVert #3 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on October 30, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers posts up against Caris LeVert #3 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on October 30, 2024 in Cleveland, season pros helped point guard Cade Cunningham grow into an All-NBA talent, and abetted the growth of center Jalen Duren and shooting guard Jaden Ivey. Athletic rookie wing Ron Holland impressed, too, at least defensively. Detroit gave the New York Knicks all they could handle in a hard-fought, first-round playoff series defeat. Per Sam Amico of Hoops Wire, Atlanta Hawks swingman Caris LeVert will be a target for both Brooklyn and Detroit this summer. Hawks' Caris LeVert Expected To Draw Interest From Pistons, Nets — Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) May 31, 2025 "The Hawks would like to keep free agent wing Caris LeVert, but they're well aware that he will be drawing outside interest," Amico writes. "Two of those teams are believed to be the Pistons and Nets, sources told Hoops Wire." More NBA News: Trae Young Takes Massive Shot at Knicks Fans During Thunder-Nuggets Game 7 After being acquired by the Hawks midway through the 2024-25 season as part of the deal that shipped De'Andre Hunter out to the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeVert logged impressive averages of 14.9 points on .482/.338/.722 shooting splits, 3.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks a night, in 26 games off the bench. "As for Detroit, much depends on what happens with the team's other veteran free agents, including Sixth Man of the Year candidate Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. It's not yet known which direction the Pistons will go after a pleasant surprise of a season." More NBA News: Nets' Ben Simmons Finalizing Contract Buyout To Become Free Agent LeVert, 30, is wrapping up a two-year, $32 million deal he inked while still in Cleveland. The oft-injured wing may not make quite that much going forward, but he could still draw an eight-figure annual salary on a multi-year deal. More NBA News: Hawks Breakout Star Signing Huge Extension Deal Bill Simmons Views Surprise Team as Best Trade Destination For Giannis Antetokounmpo Pistons May Want Cade Cunningham to Avoid Making 2025 All-NBA Team Massive Trade Proposal Has Pistons Land Perfect Co-Star For Cade Cunningham For more Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, and general NBA news and rumors, head over to Newsweek Sports.
New York Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
2025 NBA offseason spending power: What money, exceptions each team has at its disposal
After a stunning NBA Draft Lottery, the 2025 offseason has come into clearer focus. That makes this a great time to offer a glimpse at the spending power from a team-by-team perspective, which helps paint the overall picture for the league and the offseason more broadly. The expected 10 percent jump in this season's salary cap would put the 2025-26 cap at $154.6 million, the luxury-tax line at $187.9 million, the first-apron threshold at $195.9 million and the second-apron threshold at $207.8 million. The nontaxpayer midlevel exception (MLE) is projected to be $14.1 million, while the taxpayer MLE is projected at $5.7 million. Based on those numbers, here's how teams' spending power breaks down. Let's dive in team by team: Shedding significant long-term salary at the deadline gave the Hawks wiggle room under the luxury tax but not cap space for this summer. Roughly $35 million under the tax makes it possible to use the nontaxpayer MLE and retain some of pending free agents Clint Capela, Caris LeVert and Larry Nance Jr., but it's probably not enough to re-sign all three and use the MLE. Advertisement The reigning champs are over the second-apron threshold even before re-signing Al Horford or filling out their roster, so ducking all the way under would require sacrificing talent. Jayson Tatum's Achilles injury would seem to make it less likely that incoming ownership will foot a massive bill for the 2025-26 season, so expect larger changes than we would have otherwise expected. The only team with a max-contract slot has a lot of spending power, with an estimated $58 million even counting the cap holds for restricted free agents Cam Thomas and Day'Ron Sharpe against that total. It is important to note that cap-space teams also get the $8.8-million room exception on top of that space, though the two cannot be added together to give a larger contract. The Hornets' 2024 offseason and 2025 trade deadline took them out of the cap-space derby, but they have about $34 million in breathing room under the tax after falling to fourth in the draft. That should be more than enough to use the nontaxpayer MLE and retain restricted free agent Tre Mann if desired. Assuming the Bulls retain restricted free agent Josh Giddey, they will function as an over-the-cap team. Is approximately $47 million enough to retain Giddey and Tre Jones, plus use the nontaxpayer MLE? Potentially, but that is not certain at this point. Evan Mobley winning Defensive Player of the Year is a happy problem because it rewards Mobley's breakout season, but it raises his price tag and complicates GM Koby Altman's job this offseason. As discussed with Jason Lloyd, I expect the Cavs to move some salary to avoid the second apron in 2025-26 to delay the consequences, as they will be very expensive for another few seasons at minimum. That means a significant departure because they are roughly $11 million over that threshold before addressing unrestricted free agent Ty Jerome. One other consideration is that Altman can start the regular season over the second apron and eventually duck under at the trade deadline, though doing so that late means the Cavs cannot use any of the additional flexibility teams under the second apron have at their disposal. Advertisement Getting the No. 1 pick is fantastic for the Mavericks, but the elevated salary of that selection pushes them around $15 million over the tax line if Kyrie Irving opts in to his $44 million player option or re-signs at a similar number. That likely takes the $5.7-million taxpayer MLE out of the equation, but I am sure Nico Harrison would rather have the ability to draft Cooper Flagg. The Nuggets are about $8 million clear of the second apron (without a full roster), assuming Dario Šarić and Russell Westbrook pick up their player options, so they are likely to stay under. However, they can use the taxpayer MLE only if they send out or stretch some salary. The Pistons losing their 2025 draft pick adds some spending power for this offseason and pushes them close to $25 million to spend on a free agent, though that number could tick down if Cade Cunningham is named to an All-NBA team. Considering how few teams will be able to pay someone more than the nontaxpayer MLE, Detroit may have some real market power. They could also use that to acquire a player via trade or shed some extra money and swing even harder in July. They are a team to watch, but long-term spending may be a different question because young players Jaden Ivey (2026), Ausar Thompson (2027) and others will likely get raises soon to make this roster a lot more expensive down the line. Acquiring Jimmy Butler and signing him to an extension puts the Warriors close to the first apron with Jonathan Kuminga counting at his $22.9-million cap hold. Retaining Kuminga and using the taxpayer MLE seems unlikely without reducing salary somewhere else, but the limited number of cap-space teams could make that possible. They could choose to go over that threshold and retain one or both of Gary Payton II and Kevon Looney using Bird rights. Agreeing to extensions with Alperen Şengün and Jalen Green took the Rockets out of the cap-space derby, so their big remaining variable is a $44.9-million team option on Fred VanVleet. Retaining him at that number likely prevents them from using the nontaxpayer MLE, but a lower price tag could open that door, though they already have a pretty loaded rotation coming back for next season, and doing so potentially makes the Rockets a taxpayer. Advertisement This is a surprisingly tricky offseason, assuming owner Herb Simon is still unwilling to pay the luxury tax. The Pacers are only about $18 million under that threshold, with starting center Myles Turner a free agent. That is not enough to retain him at market rate, so the likely choices are paying the tax, letting Turner walk or clearing some breathing room by trading someone else. If I were the Pacers, my preference would be to re-sign Turner (assuming he wants to return), then figure things out either in July or at the trade deadline. James Harden has a $36.3-million player option, and Nicolas Batum has a $4.9-million player option, so there is some real variability in the Clippers' spending power depending on how those resolve. If both players return at those numbers, the Clippers will have about $12 million under the tax and can push that to $17 million by waiving Drew Eubanks from his non-guaranteed contract. That does not feel like enough to use the nontaxpayer MLE and retain unrestricted free agent Amir Coffey, but owner Steve Ballmer may be comfortable with a small tax bill to elevate LA's talent level. There's also a chance Harden and/or Batum come back at a lower combined price tag, though that feels unlikely. The Lakers are right around the tax line if LeBron James ($52.6 million) and Dorian Finney-Smith ($15.4 million) either pick up their player options or re-sign at similar annual salaries after opting out. That means using the nontaxpayer MLE will be difficult without other moves, but the taxpayer MLE is likely available, assuming ownership is willing to pay a modest tax bill. There are paths to clearing salary, but they likely require sacrificing assets to get off salary, which is only worth it if the Lakers can get a higher-level talent to take less. Memphis is arguably the most interesting team in the league this summer. The Grizzlies' deadline deals conspicuously left them with a small amount of cap space, which the front office could use to renegotiate and extend Jaren Jackson Jr. Doing so would give Jackson a raise for 2025-26, then the two sides could negotiate an extension using that newly elevated salary. That path eliminates the risk of Jackson leaving as an unrestricted free agent in 2026, and unlike most renegotiation-and-extension deals, it does not really come at the cost of narrowing the Grizzlies' team building because it is such a small amount of cap space. Assuming that happens, Memphis would also have the $8.8-million room exception available (rather than the $14.1 million nontaxpayer MLE if they stayed over the cap) and would have plenty of wiggle room under the tax to retain restricted free agent Santi Aldama. Sending Butler to the Warriors and not taking back as much long-term salary in the deal created the possibility that the Heat avoid the tax entirely for 2025-26, but they could also stay over to maintain a stronger overall roster. One of the league's most fascinating decisions this offseason is Duncan Robinson; he has a $19.9-million early termination option, but it is only half-guaranteed, so the Heat could open up almost $10 million by waiving Robinson even if he decides to play on that option next season. That said, my instinct is that they would rather pay Robinson $19.9 million to play for them rather than half that to play elsewhere, which would leave them a little below the tax without anything for restricted free agent Davion Mitchell. Is Mickey Arison willing to pay a small tax bill to retain Mitchell and/or use the taxpayer MLE? Is there a reason to shed a little salary to use the larger nontaxpayer MLE but stay under the first apron? Those answers will shape the Heat's roster and overall competitiveness. With Giannis Antetokounmpo's future looming over the franchise, the Bucks are about $20 million below the tax line without anything for unrestricted free agent Brook Lopez. His future is another huge variable that changes their offseason. Retaining Lopez could push them into the tax, as could bringing back Taurean Prince and/or Gary Trent Jr. If Lopez leaves, expect the Bucks to use the nontaxpayer MLE to replace him, and they likely avoid the tax. Depending on how close the Bucks are to various thresholds, we could see them trade or even waive-and-stretch Pat Connaughton's $9.4 million because that makes the difference in some scenarios. Trading Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo likely allows the Wolves to stay under the second apron for the 2025-26 season, even if they retain Randle ($30.9-million player option) and Naz Reid ($15-million player option). That said, it would be pretty hard to avoid the tax entirely without a consequential departure, and which MLE they have available depends on what happens with Randle, Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. My instinct would be the taxpayer MLE, at most, and probably just Bird rights for retentions and minimums for new additions. Advertisement After a nightmare of a season and trading Brandon Ingram to the Raptors, the Pelicans are still fairly close to the tax line and likely can use only minimums and their own draft pick, assuming paying the tax is a no-go for ownership. That complicates re-signing Bruce Brown and presumably takes any MLE off the table, too, though there is a possibility that Joe Dumars can squeeze in the taxpayer MLE. The Knicks are over the tax and about $10 million short of the second apron, which is potentially enough to either use the taxpayer MLE or retain Precious Achiuwa, but not both. It does not make sense to push over the second apron in 2025-26 because most of their paths to spending additional salary would hard cap them at either the first or second apron, and pushing back the clock another year makes sense with Mikal Bridges' potential raise coming in 2026. The Western Conference's best team this year could avoid the tax entirely in 2025-26, but the Thunder likely face a small bill and a roster crunch since they already have 15 players under contract plus two first-round picks in June. It will still be a massive offseason for the Thunder because both Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are extension-eligible, but those new contracts will kick in for the 2026-27 campaign rather than the coming season. OKC can get in the mix for any star that hits the market if executive vice president and GM Sam Presti is willing to put his assets on the table. Orlando is close to the luxury tax even without counting team options for Moe Wagner and Gary Harris, so the front office faces some tough but manageable problems. Paolo Banchero's raise comes in 2026-27, and that makes the Magic significantly more expensive moving forward. Do not expect a ton of new long-term commitments unless they take a big swing trying to add an offensive difference-maker after a disappointing season. The Sixers will be over the tax line depending on player option decisions for Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon, but the bigger question is restricted free agent Quentin Grimes' eventual salary because that will replace a modest $12.9-million cap hold. It seems likely the Sixers will have the taxpayer MLE but not the nontaxpayer MLE unless Grimes signs for a lot less than expected. If they let both Cody Martin (non-guarantee) and Vasilije Micić (team option) go, the Suns are still narrowly over the second apron without a full roster, so getting under requires trading players already under contract. Doing so could potentially open up the taxpayer MLE, but they have holes to fill. Despite being a lottery team, the Trail Blazers are only about $11 million below the tax, assuming they retain most of their non-guaranteed players such as Toumani Camara and Duop Reath. While many of their trade possibilities move their spending power in one direction or the other, using the full nontaxpayer MLE likely requires some other moves, but there are clear ways to make that happen if they can recruit a player worthy of doing that extra work. Advertisement A whirlwind series of transactions in the offseason and deadline left the Kings roughly $20 million below the tax threshold, but that figure does not include pending free agents like Trey Lyles and Jake LaRavia. New GM Scott Perry likely has to choose between the nontaxpayer MLE or retaining free agents. It seems straightforward for the Spurs to behave as an over-the-cap team to use the nontaxpayer MLE, but they may want to open up some cap space to renegotiate-and-extend De'Aaron Fox rather than wait for him to hit unrestricted free agency in 2026. Like the Grizzlies with Jackson, the sacrifice in terms of 2025-26 talent to creating and using some cap space on Fox is unusual, so it could be a palatable possibility for both sides. However, using cap space to renegotiate Fox got tougher when the Spurs moved up to No. 2 in the draft lottery, but that's a problem they are thankful to have. After agreeing to an extension with deadline acquisition Brandon Ingram, the Raptors look to be narrowly below the tax before filling out their roster. That means re-signing Chris Boucher and/or using a MLE while avoiding the tax would be tricky, if not impossible, without offloading other salary. The Raptors do not have a ton of cleanly movable money on their books, so it is looking like a pretty stable offseason north of the border unless there are some big surprises. Remarkably, the Jazz will not wield cap space unless John Collins declines his $26.6-million player option and leaves, in no small part because of their two first-round picks. While being over the cap removes some possibilities, CEO Danny Ainge can easily use the full nontaxpayer MLE and take advantage of the current collective bargaining agreement's loose trade-matching rules to add some salary that way to improve their talent level, add picks or both. The Wizards are another one of the league's worst teams that does not have cap space to use this summer and will instead focus on the nontaxpayer MLE and trades to change their roster. That timing makes sense for the Wizards because they could potentially be major players in the 2026 offseason, which likely tones down their ambition this summer. Also, keep an eye on team president Michael Winger retaining Richaun Holmes and using his combination of light partial guarantee and $13.3-million full salary to facilitate a trade. (Top photo of Nets GM Sean Marks: Dustin Satloff / Getty Images)
