The NBA salary cap is expected to increase by 10 percent for the 2025-26 season, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
That will mean an increase from $140.6M this season to $154.6M next season. The luxury tax will be set at $187.9M, the first apron at $195.9M, and the second apron at $207.8M.
Teams that managed to avoid the luxury tax this season will receive $11.5M from the 10 tax-paying teams.
No team projects to have more cap room this summer than the Brooklyn Nets. They are also the only team expected to have enough money to offer a max contract. The Detroit Pistons are a distant second.
Several Teams Will Look To Become Cap Compliant
The Phoenix Suns are at the top of the list of teams looking to make changes this summer to avoid the second apron. This season has been a disaster from an expectations standpoint. The team even explored trading Kevin Durant at the trade deadline and he is expected to be moved in the summer.
Milwaukee are another team that should be monitored. Especially in light of the Damian Lillard injury news, the team could be faced with some difficult choices in the summer depending on the severity of his diagnosis.
Regardless, this is a team ducked the second apron by trading Khris Middleton to the Washington Wizards. Ownership may want to dip further below the tax if it sees no real path to contention.
While there won’t be any changes this season and probably next, the Boston Celtics are headed towards a very expensive tax bill. Not to mention, the team has finalized a sale and new ownership will take over soon enough.
Jayson Tatum signed an extension worth $314M over five years last summer. Jaylen Brown signed a five-year, $304M extension the summer prior.
Current Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck made a recent proclamation that indicated change will be inevitable.
“You can’t stay in the second apron,” Grousbeck said on The Greg Hill Show on WEEI Radio. “Nobody will. I predict for the next 40 years of the CBA, no one’s going to stay in the second apron more than two years.
