New salary and cap numbers for the 2025-26 NBA season were sent to every team. As expected, the cap figures are expected to rise about 10 percent from this 2024-25 season, according to ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks. So, what does this mean for teams with the NBA playoffs and offseason, for some, drawing near?
Well, for starters, it means there is more money to go around when teams search for ways to improve their rosters in free agency and especially on the trade market.
One word held real estate in the minds of every front-office personnel around the NBA this season. That word is aprons, and no, we aren’t talking about cooking!
The NBA’s new apron era has caused a shift in thinking for general managers and capologists around the league. Although there are teams like the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns still spending obscene amounts of money to try and contend for championships, many organizations have not been willing to get close to said aprons.
This season, seven teams have operated above the first apron. Aside from seeing a lofty tax bill, these teams are limited in more ways than one, as making trades and signing players becomes complicated due to certain restrictions.
Then there are second apron teams who can’t utilize any portion of their mid-level exception at any point, they can’t send out cash in trades, and they can’t aggregate salaries in trades. These second-apron teams also can’t acquire a player in a trade by using another salary in a sign-and-trade scenario. The Celtics, Suns, and Minnesota Timberwolves were the only three second-apron teams this season.
With the cap figures increasing by 10 percent, every team is able to breathe a little bit easier heading into the offseason. The salary cap will increase from $140.5 million to about $154.6 million, and the luxury tax threshold will jump from $170.8 million to about $187.9 million. The aprons are also seeing the same percentage jump, opening the door for teams to spend a little extra compared to what they would this season.
Even with all of these numbers increasing, the Brooklyn Nets project to be the only team with a massive amount of cap space to operate with in free agency.
The Nets are an interesting team despite their underwhelming record. Jordi Fernandez has proven to be a strong-minded coach capable of leading this franchise, and Cam Thomas appears to be in line to receive a new contract and be one of the young faces of the team’s future.
General manager Sean Marks and this front office will also have the capability to build an entirely new young core next to Thomas with four first-round picks in June’s draft. In addition to possibly landing the first pick and Cooper Flagg via the NBA Draft Lottery, Brooklyn owns a middle first-round pick from Milwaukee, as well as picks from the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets near the end of the first round.
All of these picks, plus still having Nic Claxton and Cam Johnson on their roster, give the Nets an immediate path to once again finding success and contending in the Eastern Conference. Their excess cap space opens the door for a big move to be made. The only problem is that it will be hard to accomplish this in free agency.
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Star players won’t be available in NBA free agency
Despite the concerns surrounding the luxury tax threshold and aprons this season, teams were still very busy last offseason.
Paul George, DeMar DeRozan, Klay Thompson, and Tobias Harris were among the high-level players who ended up switching teams on new contracts that hold an annual average value of at least $25 million. Other big names like LeBron James, James Harden, Pascal Siakam, and Tyrese Maxey stayed with their teams on new deals.
Free agency was a wild time last offseason, as teams spent over $2 billion on free agents before the start of the 2024-25 season. While the cap numbers are set to increase and teams will be on the hunt for more immediate upgrades, this free agent class is much weaker than its predecessors.
The lack of available star power this upcoming summer will directly impact how teams allocate funds during free agency. That is why more focus will be put on middle-tier and key bench talents rather than the stars themselves. Nobody expects Harden or Kyrie Irving to leave for a new team over the summer, and Julius Randle isn’t expected to opt out of his contract either.
Immediately, the free agent market faces a situation where no All-Star players could be on the verge of switching teams, even if James opts out of his deal with the Lakers.
LeBron will likely opt out of his $50.6 million player option, but he is not expected to leave Los Angeles, league sources told ClutchPoints. This has been James’ strategy through the years, signing those unique “1+1” contracts which give him and the Lakers flexibility to adjust their cap numbers accordingly.
Last offseason, James made it clear to Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office that he would be willing to take a slight pay cut if it meant them targeting impactful talents who could increase the team’s championship odds. He will very likely do the same this summer, allowing Los Angeles to add more talent around him and Luka Doncic. Bringing back Jaxson Hayes has also become a priority for the Lakers, along with evaluating an underwhelming pool of frontcourt talent.
This is where many unknowns exist looking ahead to the 2025 free agency period.
Notable big men like Brook Lopez, Clint Capela, and Myles Turner will be unrestricted free agents, yet no teams around the league are gearing up to throw money at this position. As a result, there is a lot of intrigue among league circles regarding where these veteran players could end up.
The Indiana Pacers have already shown their cards early about Turner’s future with the franchise. Money could end up being a long-term problem for them, but the Pacers are not prepared to see Turner walk in free agency, sources said. Indiana made it clear to inquiring teams at the trade deadline that the veteran center would remain on their roster, and the Pacers could re-sign him this offseason while remaining below the luxury tax threshold.
However, it is hard to imagine this franchise can keep its slew of secondary talent like Andrew Nembhard, TJ McConnell, Aaron Nesmith, and Obi Toppin should Turner remain in Indianapolis on a new deal that pays him around $30 million annually. These are the players teams are keeping a close eye on. Nembhard, McConnell, Nesmith, and Toppin have all drawn a considerable amount of trade interest over the last year.
The other big question mark in Indiana is the future of Bennedict Mathurin, an athletic and skilled 22-year-old wing who has a lot of untapped potential as a two-way player in Rick Carlisle’s system. Mathurin continues to grow in his third season and will become extension-eligible in the summer.
After just paying Siakam and Nembhard last year, it would be near impossible for the Pacers to give new contracts to Turner and Mathurin while also remaining below the tax and aprons for future seasons. When Indiana ultimately brings back Turner in free agency, various teams will begin making calls about Nembhard’s availability, followed by inquiring about McConnell, sources said.
Aside from Turner, the free agent market for frontcourt talents will focus on Bobby Portis and Naz Reid, two stretch big men who have provided immense value to the Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves, respectively.
Portis and Reid are both expected to exercise their player options to become unrestricted free agents in the summer, making them part of a select group that will likely earn the most money in free agency. There will be a demand for Reid after winning the 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award and continuing to improve his play this season in Minnesota.
With this said, the Nets are the only team with significant cap space. Any other team wanting to pursue Reid would likely need to do so in sign-and-trade scenarios. That is why early talk surrounding Reid is that he will end up remaining with the Timberwolves.
Portis, on the other hand, is in a more unique position than Reid since Lopez will also be a free agent that Milwaukee will need to make a decision about. Do the Bucks keep both Portis and Lopez, or will they open up some financial flexibility by letting one of them walk?
Due to this being a much weaker free agent period than previous years, there is still a small possibility that Portis could ultimately stay with the Bucks on his player option.
This idea has become more relevant after the stretch big man was hit with a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug policy. Portis will be eligible to make his return from suspension on Apr. 8 against Minnesota.
A lot of attention in free agency will be cast on middle-tier players and those willing to accept contracts in the mid-level exception range. That is why Bruce Brown Jr., Caris LeVert, Gary Payton II, and Tim Hardaway Jr. will be some of the featured names this summer.
Of course, there are also several key restricted free agents. Along with Cam Thomas in Brooklyn, the list of pending restricted free agents extends to Jonathan Kuminga, Josh Giddey, Quentin Grimes, and Santi Aldama.
While Giddey and Grimes are expected to earn new contracts with the Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers, respectively, Kuminga’s situation is not as clear. The Golden State Warriors recently traded for Jimmy Butler and agreed to a two-year, $111 million extension with him.
That means the Warriors are locked into over $150 million for next season between Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Moses Moody, and Butler.
Although owner Joe Lacob has made it clear that money won’t stand in the way of him building a championship-level roster, how much money will this organization be willing to devote to Kuminga this offseason? Since the free agent market will be weaker than usual, Kuminga’s market will be limited.
This will likely be an advantage for the Warriors, as they could sign Kuminga to a reasonable contract instead of breaking the bank on a deal that exceeds $30 million annually. The Warriors, sources said, are not too concerned with their young forward’s pending free agency, especially considering that no other team has the ability to sign him to a massive offer sheet.
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Kevin Durant the biggest name on NBA trade market?
With free agency expected to be underwhelming compared to previous offseasons with big names being on the move, the NBA trade market is where everything will heat up. There is no bigger name being discussed among league personnel ahead of the summer than Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant.
Even at 36, Durant is still one of the best offensive players in the league. The scary thing is that he is showing no signs of slowing down and has continued to be arguably the most efficient jump shooter in the NBA.
The Suns don’t necessarily want to make Durant available in trade talks and see him depart the desert, but this situation may be out of their control at this point. At the NBA trade deadline, Phoenix was determined to find a trade that would work to move Bradley Beal for Jimmy Butler, sources said. Unfortunately, the no-trade clause that Beal’s contract contains stood in the way of any trade talks ever progressing.
Due to their massive struggles and Beal’s unwillingness to waive his no-trade clause, owner Mat Ishbia and general manager James Jones took a different approach to the trade deadline. Aside from exploring trade avenues involving players like Jusuf Nurkic and Grayson Allen as a second-apron team, the Suns began seriously discussing the possibility of trading Durant, sources said.
Advanced discussions between the Suns and Warriors were being held the week of the NBA trade deadline, and there was serious momentum building for a three-team trade that would have reunited Durant with Curry in the Bay Area. These trade talks even got to the point where the Miami Heat were involved and draft picks were being discussed, which is usually one of the final steps in completing deals at the trade deadline.
That is when Durant caught wind of his name coming up in trade talks. He quickly shut everything down, firmly telling Ishbia and the Suns that he held no desire to be traded this season. These long conversations between Phoenix and Golden State ended, leading the Warriors to their deal for Butler.
Durant never asked for a trade, nor did he have a desire to make a grand return to the Warriors. It was nothing against Curry or his time with Golden State, but more so that the 15-time All-Star truly wanted to remain in Phoenix to try and win. That has not happened, as the Suns are struggling to earn the final play-in spot in the Western Conference with only two weeks left in the regular season.
The strong relationship Phoenix once held with Durant appears to be tarnished. He was not happy with the organization going behind his back at the trade deadline, and the Suns are committed to building the best possible team around Devin Booker. That is why working with Durant in the offseason on a potential trade could provide the Suns with the necessary assets and cap relief needed to build their vision of a championship contender.
With this said, there is still no certainty surrounding how this situation will play out. Can relationships be repaired in this situation? Will Durant ultimately request a trade? There are many questions presenting themselves in Phoenix, which is why Durant is the most talked about player among league personnel inching closer to the offseason.
Of the teams that could show heavy trade interest in Durant, the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets loom large, sources said.
Houston has long wanted to make a big offseason splash since Harden left, and they recently agreed to long-term extensions with Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green last offseason. These two players, along with a plethora of draft assets, some belonging to Phoenix, make the Rockets an attractive destination for a star player like Durant.
At the same time, there isn’t any clarity at this time as to whether Houston is searching for another key talent to play alongside Green and Sengun or if they want to replace one of their young stars for a superstar like Durant. The Rockets will also have a decision to make on Fred VanVleet’s future with the team, as he has a $44.8 million team option.
The Mavericks face multiple problems right now. Aside from possibly missing the playoffs this season just one year after making the NBA Finals, Kyrie Irving won’t be returning from his ACL injury until some point in 2026.
After trading Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis, Nico Harrison is under a lot of pressure to put together a roster capable of winning a championship right now. Durant and his connection with Nike, as well as his friendships with Kyrie and Davis, can play a pivotal role here.
One surprise team that pursued Durant hard at the trade deadline with other teams making calls to Phoenix was the Atlanta Hawks, sources said. The Hawks, who were also in trade discussions with the New Orleans Pelicans on a deal centered around Brandon Ingram before he was traded to the Toronto Raptors, have been searching for another star to play alongside Trae Young.
Could the Hawks take a massive gamble on Durant in the final year of his contract to try and figure things out quickly around Young? With Capela becoming a free agent and likely departing, along with other players on expiring contracts, it’s unlikely that Atlanta has the assets and money to make a trade for Durant.
The Timberwolves also called the Suns inquiring about Durant at the trade deadline. Anthony Edwards has long stated that Durant was his favorite player growing up, and the two All-Stars share a bond with one another. Minnesota is in a very unique situation because the new ownership taking over wants to do everything they can to build a title-contending team.
Aside from Randle and Reid owning player options, the Timberwolves will be very aggressive on the trade market this offseason. This organization is at peace with the idea of being an apron team if there is a clear path to contending at the top of the Western Conference.
One dark-horse team worth mentioning in connection to Durant is the San Antonio Spurs. After just making a big move to pair De’Aaron Fox with Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs are poised to make even more moves this offseason.
There have been whispers among league personnel about the possibility of the Spurs pursuing Durant and creating the best offensive trio in the league next to Fox and Wembanyama.
Devin Vassell is a young talent who has come up in early conversations about possible trade candidates around the NBA this offseason, and there is a lot to like about the 24-year-old wing. He will be entering Year 2 of a five-year extension he signed with San Antonio that sits below $30 million per season. The only reason Vassell has yet to break out for the Spurs is due to multiple injury concerns over the last two years.
While the Spurs remain high on Vassell’s potential, he would present the clearest path to targeting a player like Durant or other big names on the trade market.
Veteran forward Harrison Barnes will also be entering the final year of his contract and making $19 million next season, making him a means for the Spurs possibly finding other upgrades as well. Barnes is a well-respected member of the organization who has been valued for leadership and accountability in the locker room this season.
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Kings, Blazers trending in opposite directions
Elsewhere in the Western Conference, the Sacramento Kings will enter the offseason with questions to answer like the Suns. While the Kings are not a team to consider in any Durant sweepstakes that could take place, changes are on the horizon for an organization that believed they were the next best thing in the West after ending their long playoff drought in 2023.
The last two seasons have resulted in Sacramento taking massive steps backward, especially after Fox was traded to the Spurs in February. The Kings may miss the playoffs again since they will be in the Western Conference play-in tournament, which will lead to more internal frustrations mounting.
There is a clear disconnect in Sacramento right now. Mike Brown, the 2022-23 NBA Coach of the Year, was fired just 31 games into the year, and not much has changed since that point in terms of the Kings finding success. Fox is gone, the development of youthful players like Keegan Murray has been stunned, and there are now whispers about the Kings’ front office being on the hot seat.
Wes Wilcox, who served as the Kings assistant general manager next to Monte McNair, recently stepped down and left to take a general manager position for the Utah Utes in the college basketball NIL world. Could he have seen the writing on the wall for Sacramento with owner Vivek Ranadive continuing to grow frustrated with the direction of his franchise?
Interestingly enough, former Kings general manager Vlade Divac, who holds a strong bond with Ranadive, has been in Sacramento a lot more lately, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. Does this mean that a regime change is coming for the Kings and Divac will find himself as a prominent voice in this front office once again?
This is certainly more of a storyline than a headline at this point.
Domantas Sabonis is just finishing the first year of his $186 million extension with the franchise. Murray will be entering the final year of his rookie contract and eligible for an extension. DeRozan will turn 36 in August and be in the second season of his three-year deal with the team. What is the direction of the Kings at this point?
Every player on this roster wants to know the answer to this question, especially Sabonis, since he is the established All-Star leader of the team next to DeRozan and Zach LaVine. Many around the league are preparing for the possibility of the Kings becoming big sellers ahead of the 2026 NBA trade deadline next February, which would likely result in Sabonis requesting a trade should a clear direction not present itself.
This offseason, the Kings will very likely run things back with the stars they currently have. No matter what, the Kings won’t be an apron team, and they will enter the summer roughly $20 million below the tax line. It is going to be very interesting to see how Sacramento looks to address their major problems after missing the playoffs or losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round.
While the Kings continue to trend in the wrong direction, the Portland Trail Blazers are perhaps the most overlooked team in the NBA.
Chauncey Billups has done a fantastic job of turning things around in Portland during the second half of this season, leading to questions about his future with the Blazers. There was early chatter this season about Billups possibly being on the hot seat. Those rumors have since subsided given the Trail Blazers’ recent success, as they have gone 19-14 since January 19.
Much of the Blazers’ success has been created by the growth of Deni Avdija, Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, and Toumani Camara.
Avdija, whom the Blazers acquired last offseason for Malcolm Brogdon, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks, has been a fantastic addition in Portland.
This trade flew under the radar, and Avdija has established himself as one of the faces of this franchise’s future with Sharpe and Henderson. Whereas these three have been the main scoring threats, Camara has established himself as one of the best defenders in the NBA.
The Blazers have a great blend of youthful depth and growing potential right now. That is why Billups deserves to continue steering this ship in the right direction. Whether or not he will get the chance to do so will be addressed over the summer.
After being attached to trade rumors with Jerami Grant, Robert Williams III, and Deandre Ayton at the trade deadline, the Blazers will again be searching the market for value this offseason.
Although Ayton and Grant have become very expendable with Avdija, Donovan Clingan, and others emerging, Portland is still comfortable holding onto what they have. There is no sense of pressure mounting to make a significant roster change.
Should the Trail Blazers look to make a trade, they will do so with the intention of making another somewhat small move, much like they did for Avdija with the Washington Wizards a year ago. With this said, decisions will need to be made about the futures of Ayton and Anfernee Simons.
Will the Blazers want to pair Ayton in the frontcourt with Clingan at the same time? This team may have to at the start of the 2025-26 season, as the former first-overall pick has not played since the first week of February due to a calf injury. Ayton will be entering the final year of his contract and is set to make $35.5 million. This contract is one that no team around the league has expressed interest in.
Simons is another story. The 25-year-old combo guard, mentored by Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, has been the young scoring leader of this team over the last few seasons.
Teams have called the Blazers about Simons in the past, but there has never been an immediate sense that he was close to being dealt. That could change in the offseason, as Simons will be entering the final year of his contract and making $27.7 million.
It is clear that Henderson and Sharpe are the future of the Blazers’ backcourt, and this organization will have another top-10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Is Simons’ time in Portland nearing an end?
The young guard is the main trade asset to keep an eye on in Portland. There has been plenty of chatter linking Simons to the Orlando Magic since he is from Florida and attended IMG Academy, which is south of the Tampa area. Another team discussed as a potential landing spot for Simons is the Miami Heat, sources said.
With Butler gone, the Heat are focused on moving forward with Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo as the focal points on their roster. Miami would be a lot more comfortable if Herro wasn’t always tasked with the “point guard role,” and moving on from Terry Rozier will be one of their main goals in the offseason.
While it’s certainly a long shot, another team mentioned as a possible landing spot for Simons if the Blazers were to look to trade him is the Lakers, sources said. Take this with a grain of salt, as Los Angeles has more pressing matters to tend to on defense and in terms of frontcourt personnel.
The idea of Simons playing off Doncic certainly makes sense. He is a solid three-point shooting weapon who can play on or off the ball, creating a strong scoring duo for the future with Luka. Head coach JJ Redick has also spoken very highly in the past of Simons’ potential and skill.
Simons is an underrated and interesting name to track heading into the offseason. While the Blazers have not firmly put him on the trade block, his name has come up in conversations with rival teams over the last year, sources said.
As money and cap figures increase around the NBA, so does the spending for all 30 teams.
This offseason, teams will have more freedom to spend as they see fit. Whether or not they do so will come down to which players hit the trade block, especially since free agency will focus more on key role players rather than stars looking to switch teams.
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