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On Tuesday afternoon, news emerged regarding the NBA salary cap for next season. After seeing the minimal increase teams have at their disposal, fans quickly began chiming in with their thoughts.
According to Shams Charania, all 30 teams were informed that the salary cap for the 2024-25 season is set at $141 million. Not only is this lower than the projections from over the summer, but it's only a $5 million increase from this season's cap.
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NBA fans were not impressed by this slight increase in cap space. Many began making jokes at Adam Silver's expense, as he just agreed to an extension through the year 2030.
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Just on current contracts alone, there are seven NBA teams currently over this salary cap line for next season. The highest projected payrolls for the 2024-25 season are the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns. Both rosters have payrolls over $195 million.
This season, the Golden State Warriors have the league's highest payroll at $211.8 million. The LA Clippers are not far behind them at $202.1 million.
How much has the NBA salary cap increased over the years?
The NBA salary cap is a number decided based on a multitude of factors. That said, league revenue from the previous season is one of the key components. Because the league has steadily grown in popularity over the years, the cap has seen a gradual increase.
Looking at the past decade, the NBA's salary cap has almost tripled. In 2013, the cap was set at just under $59 million. To put that into perspective, Steph Curry is the highest paid player in the league this year at $51 million.
Aside from a few seasons, the cap has increased anywhere from 5%-11% annually. However, they have been some sizable jumps. Most notably in 2016, when the cap jumped from $70 million to $94 million in one year. This led to an offseason of teams handing out massive contracts. It also opened the door for the Golden State Warriors to be able to sign Kevin Durant in free agency.
Since 2013, there has only been one year where the salary cap line didn't move. This was in 2020 and was in large part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It took some time, but the league has manage to recover. In both 2022 and 2023, the salary cap line saw a 10% increase.
The $5 million increase might not help teams already in the tax, but should help most front offices to operate more in the margins.
Here is a look at how the league's salary cap has close to tripled in the past 10 years.
