Thunder not alone in being cash-strapped in Northwest Division
The NBA’s free agency period starts next Sunday, which means player movement will go into overdrive. Some teams have some payroll cap space to work with. Most do not. To prepare you for the July 1 free agency kickoff, we begin a divisionby-division look at each team’s payroll situation.
The NBA salary cap is projected at $101 million this season. The luxury tax threshold is approximately $123 million. Teams above the cap are hamstrung in free agency, even moreso if that team is above the tax threshold.
Today, the Northwest Division:
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Under contract: Russell Westbrook $35.35M, Carmelo Anthony $27.9M, Steven Adams $24.15M, Andre Roberson $10M, Alex Abrines $5.5M, Patrick Patterson $5.4M, Kyle Singler $5M, Terrance Ferguson $2.1M, Dakari Johnson $1.4M.
Player option: Paul George $20.7M.
Unrestricted free agents: Josh Huestis, Corey Brewer, Raymond Felton, Jerami Grant.
Retired: Nick Collison. Guaranteed total:$116.8M. Payroll outlook: Tight. The Thunder has no money other than to keep its current players or use the $5.3 million mid-level exemption.
UTAH JAZZ
Under contract: Rudy Gobert $23.5M, Ricky Rubio $15M, Joe Ingles $13M, Alec Burks $11.5M, Jae Crowder $7.3M, Donovan Mitchell $3.1M, Grayson Allen $2.1M, Tony Bradley $1.7M.
Team option:Thabo Sefolosha $5.25M, Jonas Jerebko $4M, Ekpe Udoh $3.4M, Royce O’Neal $1.4M.
Restricted free agent:Dante Exum, Raul Neto, David Stockton.
Unrestricted free agent: Favors.
Guaranteed total:$77.2M. Payroll outlook: The Jazz has some room to work with, but it would have to renounce the rights to several rotational players to create massive cap space.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
Derrick
Under contract:Damian Lillard $28M, C.J. McCollum $26.8M, Evan Turner $17.9M, Moe Harkless $10.8M, Meyers Leonard $10.6M, Al-Farouq Aminu $7M, Zach Collins $3.6M, Anfernee Simons $1.8M, Caleb Swanigan $1.7M.
Team option: Jake Layman $1.5M, Georgios Papagiannis $1.5M.
Unrestricted free agent:Ed Davis.
Restricted free agent: Jusuf Nurkic, Shabazz Napier, Pat Connaughton, Wade Baldwin.
Guaranteed total:$108.2M. Payroll outlook: The Blazers are like the Thunder. Maxed out except for its own free agents and the bargain bin.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
Under contract: Andrew Wiggins $25.25M, Jimmy Butler $20.4M, Jeff Teague $19M, Gorgui Dieng $15.2M, Taj Gibson $14M, Karl-Anthony Towns $7.8M, Cole Aldrich $7M, Justin Patton $2.7M, Tyus Jones $2.4M, Josh Okogie $2.1M.
Restricted free agent: Nemanja Bjelica, Marcus Georges-Hunt, Amile Jefferson.
Unrestricted free agent: Jamal Crawford, Aaron Brooks, Derrick Rose.
Guaranteed total:$115.85M. Payroll outlook: Capped out. The T-Wolves will be shopping where the Thunder and Blazers shop.
DENVER NUGGETS
Under contract: Paul Millsap $29.7M, Gary Harris $16.5M, Kenneth Faried $13.8M, Mason Plumlee $12.9M, Wilson Chandler $12.8M, Darrell Arthur $7.5M, Jamal Murray $3.5M, Trey Lyles $3.4M, Michael Porter Jr. $2.9M, Juan Hernangomez $2.2M, Tyler Lydon $1.9M, Malik Beasley $1.8M.
Unrestricted free agent:Will Barton, Devin Harris, Richard Jefferson, Torrey Craig.
Team option: Nikola Jokic
$1.6M.
Guaranteed total:$108.9M. Payroll outlook:Capped out, and Jokic’s situation makes it more complicated. The Nuggets have Jokic for a steal at $1.6 million next season. But if Denver exorcises that option, Jokic becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer. If the Nuggets decline the option this summer, Jokic is a restricted free agent this summer. Denver is expected to decline the option and try to sign Jokic to a long-term deal.