New Orleans Pelicans

2026-27 Cap Sheet • Western • Southwest

Over Cap, Below First Apron First Apron Thresholds The first tax apron ($195,945,000 in 2025-26) restricts teams from using the non-taxpayer MLE, bi-annual exception, sign-and-trades to acquire players, and prior-year TPEs. Teams above the first apron can only take back 100% of outgoing salary in trades. Open in glossary → Hard Capped at 1st Apron Hard Cap Fundamentals A strict salary limit that cannot be exceeded under any circumstances. Teams become hard-capped by certain actions: using the NTMLE (hard-capped at first apron), using the BAE (first apron), receiving a sign-and-trade (first apron), or aggregating salaries (second apron). Open in glossary →

Give NOLA A Fresh Start

Linked Teams: MIA DET NYK

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Scenario Trades (3)

Trade with DET Valid

Sent: Trey Murphy III Received: Duncan Robinson, Kevin Huerter Picks in: 2027 Rnd 1, 2029 Rnd 1, 2031 Rnd 1 TPE: $1.5M

Trade with NYK Valid

Sent: Karlo Matkovic Received: Tyler Kolek

Trade with MIA Valid

Sent: Herb Jones Received: Nikola Jovic Picks in: 2029 Rnd 1

Team Salary

$198.6M

120.4% of cap

+ $22.1M cap holds Cap Hold Fundamentals A placeholder amount charged against a team's cap for free agents whose rights they hold. Cap holds count toward team salary even though no contract exists. Teams must renounce a player's rights to remove the cap hold, but doing so means losing the ability to re-sign that player using Bird rights. Open in glossary →

$220.7M

Salary Cap Salary Cap Fundamentals The maximum amount a team can spend on player salaries, set annually by the NBA based on Basketball Related Income (BRI). For 2025-26, the salary cap is $154,647,000. Unlike the NFL, the NBA's cap is a "soft cap" — teams can exceed it using various exceptions. Open in glossary →

$165.0M

Cap Space Cap Space / Cap Room Fundamentals The difference between a team's current salary and the salary cap. Teams with cap space can sign free agents or absorb salary in trades without sending matching salary out. Open in glossary →

-$33.6M

w/ holds: -$55.7M

Tax Line Luxury Tax Line Thresholds The salary threshold above which teams must pay the luxury tax. Set at $187,895,000 for 2025-26. Separate from the salary cap — a team can be over the cap without paying tax. Open in glossary →

$201.0M

Tax Bill Luxury Tax Fundamentals A dollar-for-dollar (or more) penalty paid by teams whose total salary exceeds the luxury tax line. For 2025-26, the tax line is $187,895,000. Tax rates increase with each bracket and are higher for repeat offenders. Open in glossary →

Roster Roster Limits Roster NBA teams can carry up to 15 players on standard contracts plus up to 3 two-way contracts (18 total). The minimum is 14 on opening day and 13 during the season. If a team has fewer than 12 players, an incomplete roster charge is assessed for each missing spot. Open in glossary →

16/15 +2/3

Cap Position

Cap

Tax

1st

2nd

Salary cap $165.0M Teams above this line can no longer use cap space to add salary — they sign and trade using exceptions instead. Luxury tax line $201.0M Total salary above this line is taxed, at escalating rates the further over you go. First apron $209.0M A hard ceiling for some moves — above it a team loses the bi-annual exception, sign-and-trade acquisitions, and the full mid-level. Second apron $222.0M The harshest tier — above it a team loses aggregation, the taxpayer mid-level, and can have future first-round picks frozen.

HARD CAP Hard Cap Fundamentals A strict salary limit that cannot be exceeded under any circumstances. Teams become hard-capped by certain actions: using the NTMLE (hard-capped at first apron), using the BAE (first apron), receiving a sign-and-trade (first apron), or aggregating salaries (second apron). Open in glossary → at $209.0M — Non-Taxpayer MLE ($10.4M room)

Cap Salary Cap Fundamentals The maximum amount a team can spend on player salaries, set annually by the NBA based on Basketball Related Income (BRI). For 2025-26, the salary cap is $154,647,000. Unlike the NFL, the NBA's cap is a "soft cap" — teams can exceed it using various exceptions. Open in glossary → $165.0M Tax Luxury Tax Line Thresholds The salary threshold above which teams must pay the luxury tax. Set at $187,895,000 for 2025-26. Separate from the salary cap — a team can be over the cap without paying tax. Open in glossary → $201.0M 1st Apron First Apron Thresholds The first tax apron ($195,945,000 in 2025-26) restricts teams from using the non-taxpayer MLE, bi-annual exception, sign-and-trades to acquire players, and prior-year TPEs. Teams above the first apron can only take back 100% of outgoing salary in trades. Open in glossary → $209.0M 2nd Apron Second Apron Thresholds The second tax apron ($207,824,000 in 2025-26) imposes the strictest restrictions. Teams above it cannot: aggregate salaries in trades, send cash in trades, use any MLE, send players via sign-and-trade, or trade first-round picks 7 years out. Their distant first-round picks are also "frozen." Open in glossary → $222.0M Team $198.6M w/ Holds Cap Hold Fundamentals A placeholder amount charged against a team's cap for free agents whose rights they hold. Cap holds count toward team salary even though no contract exists. Teams must renounce a player's rights to remove the cap hold, but doing so means losing the ability to re-sign that player using Bird rights. Open in glossary → $220.7M

Cap Hold Fundamentals A placeholder amount charged against a team's cap for free agents whose rights they hold. Cap holds count toward team salary even though no contract exists. Teams must renounce a player's rights to remove the cap hold, but doing so means losing the ability to re-sign that player using Bird rights. Open in glossary →

Season

Swipe salaries to change year. Contract totals include remaining option years, not cap holds.

#	Player	Pos	Age	26-27	27-28	28-29	29-30	30-31
1	Zion Williamson PF · 2 yrs · $87.1M left	PF	26	$42.2M	$44.9M	$41.3M	—	—
2	Jordan Poole SG · 1 yr · $34.0M left	SG	27	$34.0M	$41.3M	—	—	—
3	Dejounte Murray PG · 2 yrs · $59.5M left	PG	29	$32.8M	$30.8M PO	$46.1M	—	—
4	Nikola Jovic via MIA PF · 4 yrs · $62.4M left	PF	23	$16.2M	$14.9M	$15.1M	$16.2M	$19.4M
5	Duncan Robinson via DET SF · 2 yrs · $31.1M left	SF	32	$16.0M NG	$15.2M	$18.2M	—	—
6	Kevin Huerter via DET SG · 3 yrs · $27.0M left	SG	28	$9.5M	$8.7M	$8.7M TO NG	$10.5M	—
7	Jeremiah Fears PG · 3 yrs · $26.7M left	PG	19	$7.9M	$8.3M TO	$10.5M TO	$31.5M	—
8	Bennedict Mathurin SG · 2 yrs · $15.4M left	SG	24	$7.5M	$7.9M PO	$15.0M	—	—
9	Saddiq Bey SF · 1 yr · $6.4M left	SF	27	$6.6M	$12.2M	—	—	—
10	Derik Queen C · 3 yrs · $19.2M left	C	21	$5.4M	$5.7M TO	$8.1M TO	$24.3M	—
11	DeAndre Jordan C · 2 yrs · $7.9M left	C	38	$3.9M	$4.1M	$5.3M	—	—
12	Yves Missi C · 2 yrs · $9.1M left	C	22	$3.5M	$5.6M TO	$16.8M	—	—
13	AJ Johnson PG · 2 yrs · $8.7M left	PG	21	$3.2M	$5.5M TO	$16.5M	—	—
14	Brandon Boston SG · No contract	SG	24	$2.5M	—	—	—	—
15	Josh Oduro C · No contract	C	25	$2.5M	—	—	—	—
16	Elfrid Payton PG · No contract	PG	32	$2.5M	—	—	—	—
17	Jeff Green PF · 1 yr · $2.5M left	PF	40	$2.5M MIN	—	—	—	—
18	Trendon Watford PF · 1 yr · $2.8M left	PF	25	$2.4M NG	$2.5M	—	—	—
19	Tyler Kolek via NYK PG · 2 yrs · $4.8M left	PG	25	$2.3M	$2.5M TO	$3.0M	—	—
Dead Money (2 players)
—	Taj Gibson Bought Out	—	—	$148K	—	—	—	—
—	Bryce McGowens Waived	—	—	$2.6M	—	—	—	—
Two-Way Contracts (2 of 3 slots • not counted against the cap or the 15-man roster)
—	Malik Dia Two-Way	PF	22	$678K	—	—	—	—
—	Jaron Pierre Jr. Two-Way	SG	24	$678K	—	—	—	—
	Total			$198.6M ($220.7M)	$153.9M ($209.8M)	$42.5M ($204.5M)	$16.2M ($82.5M)	$0 ($19.4M)
	Cap Space			-$55.7M	-$28.3M	-$4.9M	$137.1M	$222.1M
	1st Apron Space			$10.4M	$76.0M	$210.4M	$262.0M	$306.0M
	2nd Apron Space			$23.4M	$90.3M	$226.2M	$279.3M	$325.0M

Legend: Regular = under contract • Orange = Cap Hold Fundamentals A placeholder amount charged against a team's cap for free agents whose rights they hold. Cap holds count toward team salary even though no contract exists. Teams must renounce a player's rights to remove the cap hold, but doing so means losing the ability to re-sign that player using Bird rights. Open in glossary → • Blue = projected/edited • Struck = option declined • PO Player Opt • TO Team Opt • ETO Early Term • NG = non-guaranteed • Cap projections assume ~10% annual growth

New Orleans Pelicans

Scenario Trades (3)

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