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.
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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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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.
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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 (3)
Trade with ATL
Valid
Sent: Zion Williamson, Yves Missi
Received: Luguentz Dort, C.J. McCollum
Picks in: Swap: less favorable of MIL/NOP 2027 1st, Swap: 2nd most favorable of ATL/CLE/LAL/UTA 2028 1st, 2027 Rnd 2
TPE: $7.0M
Trade with MIA
Valid
Sent: Dejounte Murray
Received: Davion Mitchell, Bobby Portis
Picks in: 2029 Rnd 1
TPE: $5.9M
Trade with DET
Valid
Sent: Trey Murphy III
Received: Ron Holland II, Duncan Robinson
Picks in: 2027 Rnd 1, 2028 Rnd 2, 2029 Rnd 1
TPE: $1.9M
Team Salary
$179.2M
108.6% of cap
+ $12.3M 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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$191.4M
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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-$14.2M
w/ holds:
-$26.4M
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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$0
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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15/15
+3/3
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).
Open in glossary →
at $209.0M
— Non-Taxpayer MLE
($29.8M 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."
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$222.0M
Team $179.2M
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 →
$191.4M
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.
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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 |
Jordan Poole
|
SG | 27 | $34.0M | $41.3M | — | — | — |
| 2 |
C.J. McCollum
via ATL
|
PG | 35 | $21.0M | $25.2M | — | — | — |
| 3 |
Luguentz Dort
via ATL
|
SG | 27 | $17.7M | $21.3M | — | — | — |
| 4 |
Duncan Robinson
via DET
|
SF | 32 | $16.0M NG | $15.2M | $18.2M | — | — |
| 5 |
Herb Jones
|
SF | 28 | $14.9M | $28.3M | — | — | — |
| 6 |
Bobby Portis
via MIA
|
PF | 31 | $14.5M | $15.6M PO | $18.7M | — | — |
| 7 |
Davion Mitchell
via MIA
|
PG | 28 | $12.4M | $14.9M | — | — | — |
| 8 |
Ron Holland II
via DET
|
SF | 21 | $9.1M | $11.5M TO | $13.8M | — | — |
| 9 |
Jeremiah Fears
|
PG | 20 | $7.9M | $8.3M | $10.5M TO | $31.5M | — |
| 10 |
Bennedict Mathurin
|
SG | 24 | $7.5M | $7.9M PO | $15.0M | — | — |
| 11 |
Saddiq Bey
|
SF | 27 | $6.6M | $17.1M | $18.5M | $19.9M | $37.8M |
| 12 |
Derik Queen
|
C | 21 | $5.4M | $5.7M | $8.1M TO | $24.3M | — |
| 13 |
DeAndre Jordan
|
C | 38 | $3.9M | $4.1M | $5.3M | — | — |
| 14 |
AJ Johnson
|
PG | 21 | $3.2M | $5.5M TO | $16.5M | — | — |
| 15 |
Bryce McGowens
|
SG | 23 | $2.6M | $2.9M TO | $5.6M | — | — |
|
Dead Money
(2 players)
|
||||||||
| — |
Taj Gibson
Bought Out
|
— | — | $148K | — | — | — | — |
| — |
Karlo Matkovic
Waived
|
— | — | $2.3M | — | — | — | — |
|
Off Roster
(1 player)
|
||||||||
| — |
Josh Oduro
Renounced
|
C | 26 | — | — | — | — | — |
|
Two-Way Contracts
(3 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 | — | — | — | — |
| — |
Julian Reese
Two-Way
|
PF | 23 | $678K | — | — | — | — |
| Total | $179.2M ($191.4M) | $93.7M ($224.6M) | $37.1M ($130.1M) | $19.9M ($75.7M) | $0 ($37.8M) | |||
| Cap Space | -$26.4M | -$43.1M | $69.5M | $143.9M | $203.8M | |||
| 1st Apron Space | $29.8M | $136.2M | $215.8M | $258.3M | $306.0M | |||
| 2nd Apron Space | $42.8M | $150.5M | $231.5M | $275.6M | $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