2020-2021 SALARY CAP UPDATE
The NBA informed teams in January that the 2020-21 projected salary cap would be $115 million with a luxury tax line of $139.
The Athletic’s John Hollinger reported that based on several internal sources, he believes those two figures to be around $109 million and $132 million, respectively.
For a rebuilding team, these shifts may prove to be insignificant. For a Brooklyn team already paying their two best players close to 70 percent of the new cap, this shift will likely further burn a hole in new owner Joe Tsai’s pocket.
The combination of Irving, Durant, and Beal would cost the Nets over $102 million dollars for the 2020-21 season. When Beal’s extension kicks in for the following year, that number will grow to an astonishing $111 million.
New majority owner Tsai is worth an estimated $11.4 billion USD and he previously stated that he will spend pretty much anything to win. However, the impending luxury tax the Nets would be sailing too would surely smash the record. Oklahoma City paid over $61 million dollars during the 2018-19 season just to lose in the first round.
Nets governor Joe Tsai has a simple message to fans about expectations: "We know the fans expect us to win a championship...if we pay luxury tax, so be it."
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) January 15, 2020
Watch #NETSonYES live: https://t.co/APxZluIvsj pic.twitter.com/ciTB1bTHul
Considering Irving and Durant’s affinity to DeAndre Jordan, his $10 million will also likely be around. A Beal trade would pretty much rule a return of Joe Harris moot and force Brooklyn to fill out their roster with bargain-bin players.
Hopefully, David Nwaba is included in this mix.