2020-21 NBA Financial Preview

Michael Ginnitti
Michael Ginnitti, Managing Editor & NFL/MLB ExpertDecember 19, 2020
© USA TODAY Sports

Just 9 weeks removed from the Lakers hoisting the trophy, the NBA is back. The quick offseason didn't deter teams from spending big, extending their own, and of course - trading superstars. We'll break down many of those figures here in our 2020-21 NBA Financial Preview.


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2020-21 Opening Day Roster Spending

A look at how each NBA team is starting the season, including projected wins, starting 5 money, total cap allocations, & current cap & luxury tax space. Track cap, cash, & tax figures for each team here.

Notable Notes

  • Memphis carries almost $18M of dead cap this season, most in the league - including a $12.6M figure for Dion Waiters.
  • The Lakers & Clippers enter the season as the oldest teams in the league, 5 years older than the league low Timberwolves.
  • The teams with the lowest projected wins are also those with the lowest allocated cap - with the exception of Cleveland (Love, Drummond).
  • The projected starting 5 in Houston will account for $126M this year, $87M more than the league low Knicks ($39M)
  • 10 teams enter the season as projected to being over the luxury tax threshold, led by the Warriors (-$42M).
  • 18 of the 30 teams in the league are hard capped - mostly due to sign and trades.
Team Proj. Wins Avg. Age Starting 5 Cap Total Cap Cap Space Tax Space
ATL 36.5 25.2 $49,183,906 $114,695,055 $-5,555,055 $17,931,945
BOS 45.5 24.6 $54,666,392 $116,911,260 $-7,771,260 $15,715,740
BKN 45.5 26.6 $113,945,221 $155,951,226 $-46,811,226 $-23,324,226
CHA 25.5 23.9 $57,319,972 $105,070,579 $4,069,421 $27,556,421
CHI 30.5 25.3 $42,312,977 $122,505,867 $-13,365,867 $10,121,133
CLE 22.5 25.1 $73,264,926 $123,264,184 $-14,124,184 $9,179,204
DAL 42.5 26.1 $56,325,827 $126,480,222 $-17,340,222 $6,146,778
DEN 44.5 24.4 $115,965,884 $127,368,106 $-18,228,106 $5,258,894
DET 23.5 25 $77,248,197 $117,074,019 $-7,934,019 $15,552,981
GSW 36.5 25.7 $114,511,788 $172,824,610 $-63,684,610 $-40,381,222
HOU 34.5 27.1 $126,095,553 $137,493,015 $-28,353,015 $-5,224,494
IND 39.5 25.7 $92,975,000 $132,846,535 $-23,706,535 $-578,014
LAC 45.5 27.7 $107,429,861 $152,889,392 $-43,749,392 $-20,262,392
LAL 46.5 28.6 $95,599,666 $136,015,047 $-26,875,047 $-3,388,047
MEM 30.5 23.7 $52,442,652 $131,226,860 $-22,086,860 $1,400,140
MIA 44.5 27.6 $66,594,472 $123,704,154 $-14,564,154 $8,739,234
MIL 49.5 26.9 $102,671,320 $134,464,759 $-25,324,759 $-5,719,176
MIN 28.5 23.4 $87,441,895 $131,949,863 $-22,809,863 $2,778,325
NOP 36.5 24.8 $92,763,946 $130,059,857 $-20,919,857 $2,567,143
NYK 22.5 23.8 $39,308,771 $90,637,364 $18,502,636 $41,989,636
OKC 22.5 25.1 $47,261,913 $122,643,375 -$13,503,375 $37,018,197
ORL 31.5 25.6 $73,101,433 $129,812,621 $-20,672,621 $2,814,379
PHI 45.5 25.9 $123,990,682 $144,069,376 $-34,929,376 $-11,442,376
PHX 38.5 26.1 $94,577,228 $124,825,928 $-15,685,928 $7,801,072
POR 41.5 25.3 $87,845,283 $130,749,148 $-21,609,148 $1,877,852
SAC 27.5 24.9 $65,938,117 $124,227,888 $-15,087,888 $24,574,010
SAS 29.5 25.3 $79,639,031 $131,616,175 $-22,476,175 $1,010,825
TOR 41.5 26.2 $95,589,298 $129,128,921 $-19,988,921 $2,955,988
UTA 42.5 26.7 $90,937,121 $132,889,380 $-23,749,380 $-445,992
WAS 32.5 25.3 $82,821,210 $130,878,918 $-21,738,918 $842,216
AVG: 36 25.5 $81.9M $128.6M -$19.4M $4.3M

 

Active Roster Spending by Position

A look at how each NBA team is allocating it's salary cap money positionally to start the season. Track positional spending for each team in real-time here.

Notable Notes

  • The Rockets changed names but not numbers, ranking 1st in guard money, 24th in forwards, & 28th in centers to start the year.
  • A Chris Paul-less OKC will start the year with just $22M potted to guards, 22 guards make more than that on their own this year.
  • The Clippers & Lakers both made a point to get deeper in the middle, so its no surprise they lead the league in Forward pay.
Team G F C Total
ATL $53.48 $44.47 $16.00M $113.95M
BOS $84.39 $57.28 $14.29M $155.95M
BKN $81.88 $17.61 $16.29M $115.78M
CHA $33.75 $41.01 $21.27M $96.03M
CHI $47.48 $67.32 $7.70M $122.51M
CLE $35.19 $53.33 $34.57M $123.09M
DAL $46.66 $59.52 $18.68M $124.86M
DEN $55.78 $38.37 $33.22M $127.37M
DET $37.92 $68.21 $5.00M $111.14M
GSW $86.06 $75.85 $8.73M $172.16M
HOU $104.34 $31.36 $1.62M $137.32M
IND $61.72 $47.92 $20.96M $130.60M
LAC $79.70 $56.04 $17.16M $152.89M
LAL $37.08 $89.79 $2.56M $129.43M
MEM $45.54 $35.57 $32.29M $113.39M
MIA $29.12 $78.10 $9.40M $118.14M
MIL $43.76 $72.97 $12.70M $129.43M
MIN $76.45 $16.53 $35.99M $128.98M
NOP $52.76 $43.05 $34.25M $130.06M
NYK $36.47 $36.06 $6.66M $79.19M
OKC $21.30 $63.49 $0.00M $85.09M
ORL $51.20 $46.64 $31.97M $129.81M
PHI $63.31 $43.31 $37.32M $143.94M
PHX $79.97 $33.10 $11.76M $124.83M
POR $64.90 $36.17 $24.92M $125.99M
SAC $54.93 $46.45 $6.63M $108.00M
SAS $68.95 $48.44 $8.10M $125.50M
TOR $73.05 $46.47 $9.26M $128.78M
UTA $54.34 $41.41 $38.76M $134.51M
WAS $81.47 $30.10 $19.31M $130.88M
AVG: $58.2M $48.9M $17.9M $125.0M

 

Offseason Spending

A look at how each NBA team spent this offseason via trades, free agency, the draft, or by extending their own.

Notable Notes

  • With a diminished free agency season, extensions carried the day. Hence the Lakers, Bucks, & Clippers lead all teams in offseason dollars.
  • The Hornets added almost $30M of cap this year via the trade, while the Celtics and Thunder shed $37M & $35M respectively.
  • The Lakers added 7 players in free agency, totaling $261M in total contracts - $100M more than any other team.
  • Daryl Morey's first few months in Philly have been busy, but it's only cost him a net of $13.5M in total cash thus far.
 
Team Via Trade Via Extension Via Free Agency Via the Draft Total Spending
ATL $18,976,375   $160,599,318 $11,917,920 $191,493,613
BOS -$35,441,790 - $79,593,347 $5,514,240 $49,665,797
BKN -$40,509 $163,000,590 $21,543,653 $15,232,440 $199,736,174
CHA $29,500,000 - $123,500,000 $22,653,003 $175,653,003
CHI   - $6,795,594 $14,490,360 $21,285,954
CLE $2,192,389 - $7,911,463 $13,121,640 $23,225,492
DAL $4,828,953   $23,717,610 $12,295,409 $40,841,972
DEN -$16,856,520 $27,774,997 $34,542,868 $4,878,600 $50,339,945
DET $20,348,451 - $101,019,993 $10,879,800 $132,248,244
GSW $14,375,000   $4,570,044 $17,897,040 $36,842,084
HOU $3,385,474 - $54,248,769 - $57,634,243
IND -$2,808,844 - $23,947,727 - $21,138,883
LAC   $240,265,466 $90,952,947 - $331,218,413
LAL $-2,505,022 $125,655,529 $261,776,175 $4,028,040 $388,954,722
MEM $3,713,451 - $49,477,688 $6,731,283 $59,922,422
MIA   $163,898,900 $39,222,753 $5,293,440 $208,415,093
MIL $693,819 $228,200,826 $50,897,115 $6,912,811 $286,704,571
MIN --$3,258,470 - $81,037,320 $28,497,211 $109,534,531
NOP $3,664,098 $35,000,000 $163,289,563 $11,763,042 $213,716,703
NYK $9,611,120 - $25,742,000 $9,967,200 $45,320,320
OKC -$-31,193,307   $19,791,105 $4,316,160 $24,107,265
ORL   $130,000,000 $17,502,857 $6,734,520 $154,237,377
PHI -$9,888,662 - $8,198,207 $15,180,672 $13,490,217
PHX $7,915,743 - $75,737,043 $8,703,720 $92,356,506
POR $2,366,684 - $44,121,203 $8,814,451 $55,302,338
SAC -$698,310 $163,000,590 $11,088,555 $22,886,237 $196,277,072
SAS   $73,000,000 $31,544,220 $12,467,512 $117,011,732
TOR   $72,000,000 $121,989,446 $3,998,640 $197,988,086
UTA $-9,167,081 $368,000,590 $80,682,700 $4,052,880 $443,569,089
WAS -$7,525,927 - $91,599,158 $9,162,000 $93,235,231
TOTAL:   $1,789,797,488 $1,906,640,441 $298,390,271 $3,994,828,000

 

Notable 2021 Free Agents
Notable players currently set to become unrestricted free agents after the upcoming season (does not include players that currently have options). Track all free agents here
Player (3) TEAM Pos. Age Exp Type Rights 2020-21 AAV
Mike Conley UTH PG 33 14 UFA Bird $30,521,116
Paul Millsap DEN PF 36 14 UFA Bird $30,000,000
Kyle Lowry TOR PG 35 15 UFA Bird $30,500,000
DeMar DeRozan SAS SG 32 12 UFA Bird $27,800,000
Otto Porter Jr. CHI SF 28 11 UFA Bird $26,631,244
Andre Drummond CLE C 28 9 UFA Bird $25,434,263
LaMarcus Aldridge SAS PF 36 15 UFA Bird $25,000,000
Victor Oladipo IND SG 29 8 UFA Bird $21,250,000
Tim Hardaway Jr. DAL SG 29 8 UFA Bird $17,737,500
Dennis Schröder LAL PG 28 8 UFA Bird $17,500,000
Evan Fournier ORL SG 28 9 UFA Bird $17,000,000
Kelly Oubre Jr. GSW SF 25 6 UFA Bird $15,000,000

 


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