The 2024 NBA offseason has been chaotic
Klay and Paul George both did not return to their teams, not because they didn’t want to, but because of one rule change, **and in fact it’s completely reshaped the entire NBA as we know it.** And when this rule was announced, it was meant to target the Warriors and Clippers.
It’s the one big thing we need to talk about this week.
So get ready to strap in to hear all the trades and roster moves completely reshaped the NBA as we know it in the one big thing we need to talk about this week.
Teams are faced with a choice. Whether to spend money and contend or “strategically” avoid so they can be flexible.
The NBA has a soft cap and hard cap. You can go beyond the soft cap for a number of reasons, like re-signing their own player using their Bird rights or even in a trade, taking back more money. You can’t sign a new player if you’re over the soft cap but sign and trade works like Klay Thompson to the Mavericks since the Mavs were over the salary cap.
Valanciunas also didn’t go to the Lakers and signed a 3 year $30M deal with the Wizards? *Why are you taking a pay cut for the Wizards???*
The Clippers were second highest paid in luxury tax, but they didn’t care as much.
It’s why they resigned James Harden to a 2 year $70M deal.
Also Batum and Mo Bamba so on paper, **they kidna mid in the West.**
This was not the only concern for the Warriors and Clippers. What pushed them over the edge is the same reason the Clippers weren’t willing to add a 4th year to Paul George’s contract which ultimately ruined any chance of resigning him. It was the next two tiers, the last tier being introduced last year in 2023.
The first apron is sort of the first hard cap where restrictions really come into play. No sign and trade, can’t take back more money in a trade, can’t sign waived players over 12.2 million, and no using any trade exceptions that you may have accrued over time. This hurts if you’re trying to build your team or add in season additions.
But the next tier is what struck fear in both the Clippers and Warriors.
The Second apron was added to further restrict rosters typically paying for multiple stars. You’re not allowed to sign players using your mid level exception, which was typically used on keeping veteran minimum players for their second year or extremely good role players willing to take a pay cut to play for a championship contender. Think Bruce Brown on the 2023 Nuggets who was pretty crucial but only made $6 mil that year.
The 76ers have decided that it’s fine since Maxey is only 23 and they really need the process to get something.
Now the 76ers are spending a lot to compete and they are ok with it. They resigned Maxey to a 5 year $204M deal right after signing Paul George so this core it set. Podcast P, Just know McCain, memes are gonna go crazy.
But Klay was a different story. For the entire year, the Warriors were unwilling to commit more money to Klay because they wanted to avoid luxury tax and be out of the second apron.
To be in the running for the Paul George sweepstakes, the Warriors waived Chris Paul and kept Klay off their books so they would go under the aprons allowing them to do a sign and trade.
But the Warriors were willing to offer PG the max meaning they were willing to go into luxury tax for PG and that pissed off Klay who had been hearing a different message for a year, an organization that he has done so much for. Draymond signed a year ago and was making more money and so Klay felt slighted. And so bam you get Klay wanting out. The Warriors risked it And the risk was that if they didn’t get PG or sign Klay, they would still be over the soft salary cap and only really have their MLE to get players. So now they are stuck
