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: GSW MEM DET DEN MIA

Viewing a shared scenario. Clone it to make your own edits.

Scenario Trades (4)

Trade with DET Valid

Sent: Trey Murphy III Received: Kevin Huerter, Ron Holland II Picks in: 2028 Rnd 1, 2031 Rnd 1 TPE: $8.4M

Trade with MIA Valid

Sent: Dejounte Murray Received: Nikola Jovic, Pelle Larsson, Myron Gardner Picks in: 2029 Rnd 1 TPE: $11.7M

Trade with GSW Valid

Sent: Zion Williamson, Saddiq Bey, Kevin Huerter Received: Jimmy Butler, Will Richard Picks in: 2027 Rnd 1, 2032 Rnd 1

Trade with DEN Valid

Sent: Herb Jones, Karlo Matkovic Received: Christian Braun, DaRon Holmes II Picks in: 2033 Rnd 1

Team Salary

$184.7M

112.0% 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 →

$206.8M

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 →

-$19.7M

w/ holds: -$41.8M

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 ($24.3M 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 $184.7M 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 → $206.8M

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	Jimmy Butler via GSW SF · 1 yr · $56.8M left	SF	37	$56.8M	$41.3M	—	—	—
2	Jordan Poole SG · 1 yr · $34.0M left	SG	27	$34.0M	$41.3M	—	—	—
3	Christian Braun via DEN SG · 5 yrs · $125.0M left	SG	25	$21.6M	$23.3M	$25.0M	$26.7M	$28.4M
4	Nikola Jovic via MIA PF · 4 yrs · $62.4M left	PF	23	$16.2M	$14.9M	$15.1M	$16.2M	$19.4M
5	Ron Holland II via DET SF · 2 yrs · $20.6M left	SF	21	$9.1M	$11.5M TO	$13.8M	—	—
6	Jeremiah Fears PG · 3 yrs · $26.7M left	PG	19	$7.9M	$8.3M TO	$10.5M TO	$31.5M	—
7	Bennedict Mathurin SG · 2 yrs · $15.4M left	SG	24	$7.5M	$7.9M PO	$15.0M	—	—
8	Derik Queen C · 3 yrs · $19.2M left	C	21	$5.4M	$5.7M TO	$8.1M TO	$24.3M	—
9	DeAndre Jordan C · 2 yrs · $7.9M left	C	38	$3.9M	$4.1M	$5.3M	—	—
10	Yves Missi C · 2 yrs · $9.1M left	C	22	$3.5M	$5.6M TO	$16.8M	—	—
11	DaRon Holmes II via DEN PF · 2 yrs · $8.9M left	PF	24	$3.4M	$5.5M TO	$6.7M	—	—
12	AJ Johnson PG · 2 yrs · $8.7M left	PG	21	$3.2M	$5.5M TO	$16.5M	—	—
13	Myron Gardner via MIA SG · 2 yrs · $5.1M left	SG	25	$2.6M NG	$2.5M NG	$3.0M	—	—
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	Trendon Watford PF · 1 yr · $2.8M left	PF	25	$2.4M NG	$2.5M	—	—	—
18	Pelle Larsson via MIA SG · 1 yr · $2.3M left	SG	25	$2.3M NG	$2.8M	—	—	—
19	Will Richard via GSW SG · 3 yrs · $7.4M left	SG	23	$2.2M	$2.5M	$2.7M TO	$3.3M	—
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			$184.7M ($206.8M)	$97.3M ($185.0M)	$61.4M ($138.4M)	$42.9M ($102.0M)	$28.4M ($47.9M)
	Cap Space			-$41.8M	-$3.5M	$61.2M	$117.6M	$193.7M
	1st Apron Space			$24.3M	$132.6M	$191.4M	$235.3M	$277.5M
	2nd Apron Space			$37.3M	$146.9M	$207.2M	$252.6M	$296.6M

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 (4)

Cap Position

Teams

More

iPhone or iPad

Android or desktop