Players Would Risk Lockout To Stop NBA's Push For Hard Cap - RealGM Wiretap...
The NBA is pushing for a hard cap as part of its next CBA negotiations, which is being described instead as an “Upper Spending Limit.”
“There will be a lockout before there’s a hard cap,” said one source from the players’ side to Marc Stein.
Currently, there are only three ways a team can be hard-capped:
- Acquire a free agent via sign-and-trade
- Sign a free agent with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception
- Signing a free agent with the bi-annual exception
Sources say there is a strong desire from some within the league to limit overall team spending while the value of individual contracts continues to climb due to another influx of television money.
The league’s current system is built around a salary cap and a luxury tax.
The two sides have until the Dec. 15th deadline to opt out of the current CBA, which would terminate the agreement on June 30, 2023.
