New Orleans Pelicans
2026-27 Cap Sheet • Western • Southwest
Above Second 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."
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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).
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Above Second 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."
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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).
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Give NOLA A Fresh Start
Viewing a shared scenario. Clone it to make your own edits.
Scenario Trades (5)
Trade with DET
Valid
Sent: Trey Murphy III
Received: Ron Holland II, Ebuka Okorie, Isaiah Joe
Picks in: 2028 Rnd 1, 2030 Rnd 1, 2032 Rnd 1
TPE: $2.1M
Trade with CHI
Valid
Sent: Jordan Poole, Jordan Hawkins
Received: Patrick Williams, Noa Essengue, Zach Collins
Picks in: 2032 Rnd 1
TPE: $8.9M
Trade with CLE
Valid
Sent: Saddiq Bey, Karlo Matkovic
Received: Max Strus
Picks in: 2032 Rnd 2
Trade with SAC
Valid
Sent: Micah Peavy
Picks in: 2027 Rnd 2
TPE: $2.2M
Trade with ATL, OKC
Valid
Sent: Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, Patrick Williams, Max Strus, Herb Jones, Ron Holland II, Zach Collins, Noa Essengue, DeAndre Jordan, Yves Missi, Bryce McGowens, Ebuka Okorie
Received: Aaron Wiggins, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Isaiah Hartenstein, Alex Caruso, Jaylin Williams, Cason Wallace, Jared McCain, Ajay Mitchell
Team Salary
$240.4M
145.7% 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.
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$262.4M
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.
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$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.
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-$75.4M
w/ holds:
-$97.4M
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.
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$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.
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$154.9M
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.
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18/15
+2/3
Cap Position
Cap
Tax
1st
2nd
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).
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at $209.0M
— Non-Taxpayer MLE
($0 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.
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$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 $240.4M
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 →
$262.4M
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 |
Chet Holmgren
via OKC
|
C | 24 | $41.3M | $44.6M | $47.9M | $51.2M | $54.5M |
| 2 |
Jalen Williams
via OKC
|
SF | 25 | $41.3M | $44.6M | $47.9M | $51.2M | $54.5M |
| 3 |
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
via OKC
|
PG | 28 | $40.8M | $60.6M | $65.5M | $70.3M | $75.2M PO |
| 4 |
Isaiah Hartenstein
via OKC
|
C | 28 | $23.1M | $25.0M | $26.9M | $32.2M | — |
| 5 |
Alex Caruso
via OKC
|
SG | 32 | $19.6M | $21.0M | $22.4M | $26.9M | — |
| 6 |
Isaiah Joe
via DET
|
SG | 27 | $11.3M | $11.3M TO | $13.6M | — | — |
| 7 |
Aaron Wiggins
via ATL
|
SG | 27 | $9.0M | $8.2M | $8.2M TO | $9.6M | — |
| 8 |
Jeremiah Fears
|
PG | 19 | $7.9M | $8.3M TO | $10.5M TO | $31.5M | — |
| 9 |
Jaylin Williams
via OKC
|
C | 24 | $7.8M | $7.8M TO | $9.3M | — | — |
| 10 |
Bennedict Mathurin
|
SG | 24 | $7.5M | $7.9M PO | $15.0M | — | — |
| 11 |
Cason Wallace
via OKC
|
PG | 22 | $7.4M | $8.9M | — | — | — |
| 12 |
Derik Queen
|
C | 21 | $5.4M | $5.7M TO | $8.1M TO | $24.3M | — |
| 13 |
Jared McCain
via OKC
|
SG | 22 | $4.4M | $6.8M TO | $8.1M | — | — |
| 14 |
AJ Johnson
|
PG | 21 | $3.2M | $5.5M TO | $16.5M | — | — |
| 15 |
Ajay Mitchell
via OKC
|
PG | 24 | $2.9M NG | $2.9M TO | $3.4M | — | — |
| 16 |
Brandon Boston
|
SG | 24 | $2.5M | — | — | — | — |
| 17 |
Josh Oduro
|
C | 25 | $2.5M | — | — | — | — |
| 18 |
Elfrid Payton
|
PG | 32 | $2.5M | — | — | — | — |
| 19 |
Lindy Waters III
|
SG | 29 | $2.5M MIN | — | — | — | — |
| 20 |
Russell Westbrook
|
PG | 37 | $2.5M MIN | — | — | — | — |
| 21 |
Trendon Watford
|
PF | 25 | $2.4M NG | $2.5M | — | — | — |
|
Dead Money
(1 player)
|
||||||||
| — |
Taj Gibson
Bought Out
|
— | — | $148K | — | — | — | — |
|
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 | $240.4M ($262.4M) | $260.0M ($271.3M) | $237.3M ($303.2M) | $172.6M ($297.2M) | $184.1M ($184.1M) | |||
| Cap Space | -$97.4M | -$89.8M | -$103.5M | -$77.6M | $57.5M | |||
| 1st Apron Space | -$31.4M | -$30.1M | $15.6M | $105.5M | $121.9M | |||
| 2nd Apron Space | -$18.4M | -$15.8M | $31.4M | $122.8M | $140.9M | |||
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.
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• Blue
= projected/edited • Struck
= option declined • PO
Player Opt • TO
Team Opt • ETO
Early Term • NG
= non-guaranteed •
Cap projections assume ~10% annual growth