The NBA has slightly increased its 2027-28 salary cap projection and let teams know, reports Fred Katz at The Athletic.
The previous projection had been $174 million. While a $2 million increase may not seem like much, it’s good news for teams.
The $176 million figure is a 6.7% increase over the $164.96 million cap for this coming season. After the massive new national television deal was signed a couple of years ago, the expectation was that the league would see 10% salary cap increases for at least half a decade and likely longer. Instead, because of the collapse of the local television market for many teams, that percentage has dropped.
The concern for teams with star players on max contracts is that those come with 8% annual raises, but now the salary cap does not keep pace. Suddenly, a player projected to earn 35% of the salary cap can earn a slightly higher percentage, making it more difficult to build a team around him.
The increased cap also means that players who signed max contracts that kick in next season, such as Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, will earn slightly more.
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