Sheridan Hoops

A better basketball site. For intelligent readers, from veteran writers.
Keep scrolling down. Good stuff here.

  • Home
  • Salaries
    • Atlantic Division Salaries
      • Boston Celtics
      • Brooklyn Nets
      • New York Knicks
      • Philadelphia 76ers
      • Toronto Raptors
    • Central Division Salaries
      • Chicago Bulls
      • Cleveland Cavaliers
      • Detroit Pistons
      • Indiana Pacers
      • Milwaukee Bucks
    • Southeast Division Salaries
      • Atlanta Hawks
      • Charlotte Hornets
      • Miami Heat
      • Orlando Magic
      • Washington Wizards
    • Northwest Division Salaries
      • Denver Nuggets
      • Minnesota TimberWolves
      • Oklahoma City Thunder
      • Portland Trail Blazers
      • Utah Jazz
    • Southwest Division Salaries
      • Dallas Mavericks
      • Houston Rockets
      • Memphis Grizzlies
      • New Orleans Pelicans
      • San Antonio Spurs
    • Pacific Division Salaries
      • Golden State Warriors
      • Los Angeles Clippers
      • Los Angeles Lakers
      • Phoenix Suns
      • Sacramento Kings
  • Columns
    • Chris Sheridan
    • Jan Hubbard
    • Chris Bernucca
    • Shlomo Sprung
    • Michael Scotto
    • Paul Ladewski
    • Pete Newmann
    • James Park
    • Jake Henson
    • Ben DuBose
    • Jon Marks
    • AJ Mitnick
    • Nick Gibson
    • Andrew Crawford
  • Rankings
    • MVP Rankings
    • Rookie Rankings
    • Most Improved Rankings
    • Free Agent Rankings
  • News
    • Latest NBA News
    • Latest Blogs
    • Latest Featured Tweets
    • Latest Featured Photos
    • Power Rankings
    • Archives
  • Video
  • Int’l
    • Euroleague
    • China
    • Olympics
  • 2015 Draft
  • About
    • About This Website
    • Contributors
    • Contact
  • Fantasy
    • Play Fantasy Sports With DraftKings
  • More
    • Podcasts
    • Odds
    • Polls
    • Awards
    • Power Rankings
  • Tickets
    • Atlantic Division
      • Boston Celtics Tickets
      • Brooklyn Nets Tickets
      • New York Knicks Tickets
      • Philadelphia 76ers Tickets
      • Toronto Raptors Tickets
    • Central Division
      • Chicago Bulls Tickets
      • Cleveland Cavaliers Tickets
      • Detroit Pistons Tickets
      • Indiana Pacers Tickets
      • Milwaukee Bucks Tickets
    • Southeast Division
      • Atlanta Hawks Tickets
      • Charlotte Hornets Tickets
      • Miami Heat Tickets
      • Orlando Magic Tickets
      • Washington Wizards Tickets
    • Northwest Division
      • Denver Nuggets Tickets
      • Oklahoma City Thunder Tickets
      • Portland Trailblazers Tickets
      • Utah Jazz Tickets
      • Minnesota Timberwolves Tickets
    • Southwest Division
      • Dallas Mavericks Tickets
      • Houston Rockets Tickets
      • Memphis Grizzlies Tickets
      • New Orleans Pelicans Tickets
      • San Antonio Spurs Tickets
    • Pacific Division
      • Golden State Warriors Tickets
      • Los Angeles Clippers Tickets
      • Los Angeles Lakers Tickets
      • Phoenix Suns Tickets
      • Sacramento Kings Tickets

Hamilton: NBA Teams With Cap and Trade Exceptions

August 30, 2012 by Moke Hamilton

As August ends and calendars are flipped to September, it dawns on you: NBA training camps will open in a few weeks.

Although the Summer of 2012 will ultimately be remembered for when the Los Angeles Lakers somehow managed to acquire two of the top prizes on the market, there are still quite a few free agents that could ultimately be the difference between your favorite team making a trip to the postseason or anxiously awaiting the results of the draft lottery.

My respective five best available players are Leandro Barbosa, Andray Blatche, Kenyon Martin, Lou Amundson and Mickael Pietrus.  And scores of others – including Matt Barnes, Rasual Butler and Josh Childress – are worthy role players.

As we draw closer to camp, taking note of which teams still have their midlevel, room, and biannual exceptions is a worthwhile endeavor. And to a lesser extent, the same can be said of traded player exceptions. Any of these four exceptions are assets that can ultimately result in the acquisition of a player who can help.

Just ask the Los Angeles Lakers, who used a traded player exception to acquire Steve Nash.

At this point, a surprising number of teams still have available money to spend. Here’s a full account.

Non-Taxpayer Midlevel Exception ($5 million)wizards small logo

This offseason was the first full one in which there were two midlevel exceptions. Entering this offseason, if a team had less than about $70 million in guaranteed salaries committed for 2012-2013, it was granted a $5 million midlevel exception. As usual, the exception can be used to sign one player or it can be split among multiple players. As of today, the only team in the league that has the entire $5 million exception available is the Washington Wizards. Each of the other teams that entered this offseason with the $5 million exception have used a portion of it.

The Milwaukee Bucks ($4.35M), Orlando Magic ($4.21M), Denver Nuggets ($3.33M), and Oklahoma City Thunder ($3.33M) have more than half of the exception remaining. The Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz each have approximately $2.5 million remaining, while the Memphis Grizzlies have $2 million.

Clearly, the Wizards, Bucks and Magic – and to a lesser extent, the Nuggets and Thunder – have the best chance of landing one of the best remaining players. Of those teams, the Thunder are the only one who can offer a shot at competing for a title. However, after recently signing Serge Ibaka to a rich extension, the prevailing thought seems to be that the Thunder will try to curb their spending. That seems especially probable considering that last season’s Sixth Man Award winner, James Harden, is entering the final year of his rookie-scale deal.

Taxpayer Midlevel Exception ($3.09 million)

Teams that entered the offseason with about $70 million or more committed in guaranteed salaries for 2012-2013 were allowed a smaller version of the midlevel exception. The Miami Heat used their taxpayer exception to sign Ray Allen, while the Los Angeles Lakers used approximately half of their exception to sign Jodie Meeks. As of now, the Lakers ($1.4 million) are the only team that has a portion of its taxpayer midlevel exception remaining.

However, after their busy offseason, the Lakers’ 2012-2013 payroll now sits at $100.7 million. This season, its projected starting lineup will earn a whopping $82.5 million. Maybe (just maybe), they’re finally finished spending.

Room Exception ($2.575 million)pacers small logo

The new “room” exception is a salary exception that allows a team to spend all of its room under the salary cap, and then, once at the cap, exceed it using the room exception. In other words, a team that entered the offseason with $8 million under the cap could sign a free-agent for $8 million, and then have the ability to spend an additional $2.575 million using this exception.

Ten teams still have the full exception available. They are the Charlotte Bobcats, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, New Orleans Hornets, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings.

Of the teams listed here, it’s probably safe to assume that the Indiana Pacers would be the most desirable destination, perhaps with the Philadelphia 76ers a close second.

Still, it’s worth noting that there’s nothing to say that teams have to spend this money, and we should expect to see some frugality with the new luxury tax era on the horizon.

Biannual Exception ($1.957 million)spurs small logo

The biannual exception is a familiar friend, though the rules that govern it were changed since the enactment of the 2011 CBA. It was only made available to teams who entered this offseason with less than about $72 million in guaranteed salaries committed for 2012-2013. It also is not available to any team that uses the room exception.

At slightly less than $2 million, the biannual exception doesn’t seem like much money when compared to the midlevel and room exceptions. But the minimum salary for a 10-year veteran is $1.35M, so that means that a veteran being paid with the biannual exception (as opposed to the minimum salary) stands to be paid 45 percent higher. That could make a difference with a veteran free-agent such as Chris Andersen, Rasual Butler or Derek Fisher.

Currently, 11 teams can use the biannual exception if they choose. They are the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards.

Traded Player Exceptions

A traded player exception (TPE) is a bit different than the other salary exceptions. The other exceptions can be used to sign free agents, but a TPE may only be used to acquire a player via trade. Despite this limitation, a TPE is a very valuable asset because it allows additional flexibility in deal-making. Under normal circumstances, if two teams are over the cap and wish to execute a trade, the salaries being sent and received must within a certain range in order for the trade to be allowable under the league’s CBA. By using the TPE, teams – under certain circumstances – may execute trades that otherwise could not have occurred.

A traded player exception is most commonly created when a team on one end of a deal trades a player to team that is under the salary cap. The Orlando Magic ($17.816M) currently own the biggest trade exception in league history after consummating their deal for Dwight Howard.

The Denver Nuggets ($13M, via Nene), Chicago Bulls ($5M, via Kyle Korver), and the Golden State Warriors ($3.3M via Ekpe Udoh) also have noteworthy trade exceptions.

Ultimately, this type of exception allows the team to execute a trade in which it accepts salary in return without trading any away. As always, there are rules and caveats (and expiration dates) that govern the exception. Nonetheless, the major point remains: a TPE is an asset that can help facilitate player movement and help a team build itself into a contender.

The 2012-2013 season is right around the corner. But until it actually begins, rest assured that some of these teams will spend some of their available money if they feel it will improve their chances of competing.

Moke Hamilton is a Senior NBA Columnist for SheridanHoops.com. Follow him on Twitter.

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Hamilton Tagged With: Andray Blatche, free agency, Josh Childress, Kenyon Martin, leandro Barbosa, Lou Amundson, Matt Barnes, Mickael Pietrus, NBA, NBA Free Agency: Teams WIth Cap Exceptions, NBA Teams WIth Salary Cap Exceptions, NBA Traded Player Exceptions, Rasual Butler, salary cap, Steve Nash

Follow on Twitter

Chris Sheridan

SheridanHoops.com is Closing Down

With a mix of sadness and pride, I am shuttering SheridanHoops.com -- the Web Site I founded in 2011 a [...]

  • Sheridan: My Season-Ending Awards Ballot
  • MVP Rankings, Edition IX: Curry Wins … in NCAAs
  • Three-Man Weave: Will Warriors Break Bulls’ Record?
  • Sheridan: Obsession Over LeBron’s Twitter Unfollow Disses Raptors
More from this author
Follow on Twitter

Chris Bernucca

Bernucca: Which Warriors Get Our Season-Ending Awards?

The Golden State Warriors are about to complete the best regular season in NBA history. The Warriors [...]

  • Bernucca: Here’s how Bryan Colangelo can clean up Sam Hinkie’s Mess in Philly
  • Bernucca: For Some Teams, Playoffs Have Already Started
  • Rookie Rankings, Edition 6: Should the Lakers Trade D’Angelo Russell?
  • Bernucca: This Week Will Reveal if Bulls Have Quit
More from this author

Pete Newmann

The mismatch of Shaun Livingston

Shaun Livingston has quietly become one of the most efficient guards and possibly the best backup a [...]

  • Celebrating Steve Nash
  • The sinking Suns
  • The Magic’s Nightmare January
  • The reason for the Raptors win streak
More from this author
Follow on Twitter

Jan Hubbard

Hubbard: If Tired, Perhaps Warriors Can Find Their Inner Wilt

When I read about the issue of resting players in preparation for the playoffs, it reminded me that I a [...]

  • Hubbard: Rethinking the Most Improved Player Award: Is Curry Deserving?
  • Hubbard: Duncan and Dirk: A Tale of Two Forwards
More from this author

Michael Scotto

Scotto: Durant to Wizards Unlikely; Wittman and Grunfeld Imperiled

Remember when a potential homecoming for Kevin Durant with the Washington Wizards was the buzz around [...]

  • Scotto: NCAA Tournament NBA Draft Stock Watch
  • Scotto: Big East Tournament NBA Draft Stock Watch
More from this author

Bobby Gonzalez

Mock Draft 1.0 — Gonzo Ranks the Top 14

This is the time of the year for the earliest Mock Drafts, and I am subbing myself in for our regular I [...]

  • Gonzo: Top 10 Hidden Gems in 2016 NBA Draft
More from this author

Shlomo Sprung

Sprung: Raptors Players Analyze Potential Playoff Showdown With Cavs

While the Golden State Warriors chase their 73rd win and fans and pundits around the NBA fantasize a or [...]

  • The 10 Most Important NBA Questions Over The Season’s Final 10 Days
  • Sprung: Hornets’ Al Jefferson, Like Other Big Men, Adapts To Changing Times
  • Sprung: Introducing The NBA All-Loser Teams
More from this author

Kels Dayton

Why Will Barton of Nuggets should win Sixth Man Award

It's the final edition of the Sixth Man Award Rankings, and we know that fans out there are going to be [...]

  • Why Stephen Curry should win the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award
More from this author

Jake Henson

Gambling Guru: Miami on Joe time, recent ATS analysis and props to Lillard

Welcome back for the first post All-Star break edition of the Gambling Guru column Speaking of was I [...]

  • Gambling Guru: ATS Surprises, NBA Finals Prediction, Harden Back in MVP Zone
More from this author
Follow on Twitter

Jon Marks

Marks: Larry Brown’s Forgettable, Sad 2015

PHILADELPHIA—No one will probably be happier than Larry Brown when the calendar flips to 2016 in a of [...]

  • Marks: Miracle Worker Colangelo Has His Biggest Test With Sixers
More from this author
Follow on Twitter

James Park

No posts found.

More from this author
Follow on Twitter

Kent Williams

Fantasy Spin: Update From FIBA Americas & NBA Sleepers

The first round of the FIBA Americas tournament was like a four-game warmup to eliminate the worst in [...]

More from this author

Recent Posts

  • Emoni Bates Wins High School Player Of The Year Award
  • 10 worst decisions made by NBA players
  • Canadian basketball and sport betting
  • Guide to sign up for offers for slots
  • How jackpot slots can be more fun

Categories

Archives

Return to top of page
© 2023 SheridanHoops LLC.
All Rights Reserved

Contact
Design by ElevateMedia