After a thrilling and tumultuous NBA trade deadline, the league, roster-wise, enters a state of comparative calm, so the 2023 offseason looks significantly clearer. In the future, we’ll detail the free agents who will shape the summer, but the best place to start is going team-by-team to lay out their situations and what variables can still change their spending power
These estimates use the NBA’s most recent projection of a $134 million salary cap and $162 million luxury-tax line for the 2023-24 season [the actual figures will not be calculated until June]. At that cap figure, RealGM projects the nontaxpayer midlevel exception would have a starting salary of $11. 4 million, the taxpayer MLE starting at $7 million and the room exception at $5. 8 million
To summarize before diving in fully, these are the most likely categories for all 30 teams, though many can [and some will] change groups in the offseason
Atlanta Hawks
If Bogdan Bogdanović picks up his $18 million player option, the Hawks would be narrowly over the luxury-tax line but likely close enough to avoid paying the tax if ownership prioritizes that
Boston Celtics
The Celtics should be a luxury-tax payer but likely won’t have too steep a bill unless restricted free agent Grant Williams gets a bigger payday than expected
Brooklyn Nets
The deadline’s biggest shift puts the Nets roughly $19 million below the tax line, but that includes nothing for restricted free agent Cameron Johnson or Seth Curry. That means they presumably could not retain Johnson and use the full nontaxpayer MLE unless they shed additional salary, though that seems entirely possible depending on where Sean Marks wants to take this unusual Nets roster
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Charlotte Hornets
There are three huge variables for the Hornets this summer. Miles Bridges [a restricted free agent if the front office makes him a qualifying offer again], P. J. Washington [restricted free agent] and their 2023 lottery pick. In all likelihood, expect the Hornets to have somewhere between $27 million and $37 million in space, though there is a scenario in which they function as an over-the-cap team to retain both Bridges and Washington
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls cannot clear significant cap space without offloading players on fully guaranteed contracts, so the bigger question is whether roughly $43 million is enough to retain Nikola Vučević, Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White, much less any combination of them and the nontaxpayer MLE
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs will likely be over the cap and below the tax, which allows Koby Altman to potentially re-sign Caris LeVert and Kevin Love, though we will have to see if they have enough to bring back both and use the nontaxpayer MLE. I’m leaning toward a preliminary yes, especially since they could, if necessary, shed some other salary to duck the tax
Dallas Mavericks
They could technically open up cap space, but that would require the departure of Kyrie Irving and Christian Wood. Instead, expect the Mavericks to stay over the cap and likely pay the tax, assuming Irving re-signs in July
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Denver Nuggets
Denver is right at the tax line, not even including Bruce Brown’s $6. 8 million player option, so expect the Nuggets to pay the tax again in 2023-24
Detroit Pistons
With Bojan Bogdanović, Alec Burks and James Wiseman on their books for next season, the Pistons have roughly $30 million in cap space depending on where their lottery pick ends up
Golden State Warriors
They’re deep into the tax [and paying the steeper repeater tax payments] even if Draymond Green opts out and leaves. This will be a very expensive team again in 2023-24
Houston Rockets
Trading Eric Gordon clarified their books somewhat, so the Rockets likely have about $61 million in space depending on their lottery luck
Indiana Pacers
Agreeing to a renegotiation-and-extension with Myles Turner puts the Pacers at roughly $28 million in space, which is still a lot to work with
LA Clippers
After trading Luke Kennard, the Clippers are $19 million over the tax line, even without anything for the newly acquired Gordon or Mason Plumlee. Another very expensive team
Los Angeles Lakers
While they could still theoretically clear cap space, acquiring D’Angelo Russell in particular makes it far more likely the Lakers stay over the cap to retain him plus some combination of Malik Beasley, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Mo Bamba. As of now, I expect the Lakers to pay the luxury tax in 2023-24, but that shifts quite a bit depending on Russell’s eventual salary for next season
Memphis Grizzlies
Trading for Kennard puts the Grizzlies about $25 million below the tax — not counting anything for pending unrestricted free agent Dillon Brooks. That does not appear to be enough to re-sign Brooks and use the nontaxpayer MLE, and using the taxpayer MLE at all likely depends on both Brooks’ and ownership’s willingness to spend
Miami Heat
Amazingly, even if Victor Oladipo declines his $9. 5 million player option and leaves, the Heat are into the tax, not counting anything for pending free agents Max Strus, Gabe Vincent or Omer Yurtseven. There are ways to shed salary, and no team is better at walking the tightrope than the Heat, but they project as a clear tax team as of now
Milwaukee Bucks
The only way they realistically avoid the tax is by Khris Middleton opting out and leaving, so expect the Bucks to pay the tax again in 2023-24
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Minnesota Timberwolves
Swapping Russell for Mike Conley means the Timberwolves will stay over the cap, but they should be able to avoid the luxury tax while still using the nontaxpayer MLE and retaining currently non-guaranteed Taurean Prince and Jordan McLaughlin, if desired. But they might not have enough to do all of that and retain unrestricted free agent Naz Reid, so Tim Connelly may still have some tough choices to make
New Orleans Pelicans
Shipping Devonte’ Graham to the Spurs means the Pelicans are approximately $11 million below the tax line. That should be enough to use the nontaxpayer MLE or re-sign deadline addition Josh Richardson, but it likely has to be one or the other
New York Knicks
The Knicks don’t have cap space but possess plenty of wiggle room under the luxury tax to both re-sign Josh Hart and use the nontaxpayer MLE
Oklahoma City Thunder
They’re looking at about $31 million in cap space, depending on their eventual draft position
Orlando Magic
A cap space team, but whether it’s closer to $20 million to $30 million — or as much as $50 million to $60 million — depends on who they retain among Jonathan Isaac, Markelle Fultz and Gary Harris. I am expecting the Magic to keep most of that trio, depending on which free agents show interest
Philadelphia 76ers
It looks like they will be a tax team, assuming James Harden is back, with the size of their bill depending most on his 2023-24 salary. But newcomer and upcoming unrestricted free agent Jalen McDaniels is another notable variable
Phoenix Suns
After acquiring Kevin Durant, new owner Mat Ishbia will pay the luxury tax in 2023-24, so the key question is how far he is willing to go, since that dictates whether James Jones will be able to use the taxpayer MLE and/or retain some of their pending free agents
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Portland Trail Blazers
Sending Hart to the Knicks made it even more likely the Blazers will be able to retain Jerami Grant and stay under the tax, assuming he wants to come back. That said, a significant Grant salary may prevent the front office from retaining both Matisse Thybulle and Cam Reddish while also using the nontaxpayer MLE for a newcomer
Sacramento Kings
The beam lighters can open up roughly $24 million in space, but that requires saying goodbye to Harrison Barnes. The most likely scenario is retaining Barnes and using the nontaxpayer MLE, especially since doing so also allows them to retain Trey Lyles. One scenario to keep in mind is that Monte McNair could use cap space to renegotiate-and-extend Domantas Sabonis, which would be a fun parallel to his longtime teammate in Indiana, Myles Turner
San Antonio Spurs
Adding Graham at the deadline likely puts the Spurs at $40 million to $48 million in cap space, depending on their draft pick and if they pick up Zach Collins’ $7. 7 million non-guarantee
Toronto Raptors
While there is not a viable path to usable cap space without a mass exodus including Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. , the bigger question is whether Masai Ujiri can retain those two and/or deadline acquisition Jakob Poeltl while staying under the luxury tax. I don’t think roughly $57 million is nearly enough to make that happen, so this could get tricky unless ownership is willing to take on a tax bill
Utah Jazz
Sending Conley to Minnesota means the Jazz will wield cap space in 2023, but we will have to see if that is $30 million or more in the $45 million to $55 million range, depending on what happens with Jordan Clarkson [player option] and Kelly Olynyk [partial guarantee]
Washington Wizards
While they cannot realistically have cap space this summer, the bigger question is whether $62 million will be enough to retain both Kristaps Porziņģis and Kyle Kuzma, much less both and a midlevel exception