Open Extended Reactions
The NBA calendar hitting Dec. 15 marks yet another significant date, as 85 free agents signed in the offseason will be eligible to be traded.
To get a better sense of the 2024-25 trade market, we have organized the entire player pool into different roster types (franchise centerpiece, All-Star, starter, reserve, etc.), salary and years remaining on their contracts. You can use these tables when attempting to determine what trades are possible across the league -- especially since only the Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic currently have cap space.
The 2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement introduced new trade rules that are explained below.
Teams like the Atlanta Hawks ($25.3 million), Brooklyn Nets ($23.3 million), Chicago Bulls ($17.5 million), Memphis Grizzlies ($12.6 million), New Orleans Pelicans ($9.9 million), Portland Trail Blazers ($6.9 million) and Washington Wizards ($12.4 million) have large trade exceptions and can acquire a player without sending back salary because of a previously created trade exception. The Dallas Mavericks have a $16.2 million trade exception but are not allowed to use it because they would exceed the second apron.
A new rule allows a team that did not use a signing exception this summer to acquire a player using the non-tax, biannual, tax and room exception to sign a free agent are allowed to acquire a player.
Trade rules
The NBA and players association adjusted the trade rules, allowing teams below the luxury tax more flexibility and spending power to acquire players in a trade.
The Sacramento Kings acquired DeMar DeRozan this offseason with the $7.7 million Expanded Traded Player Exception, a $2.7 million increase from the previous CBA.
The high-spending teams over the first and second apron saw the Traded Player Exception decrease from 110% last season to 100%.
Here is a breakdown showing what salaries a team can acquire in a trade.
Teams Traded Player Exception Reason
Boston, Denver, LA LakersMiami, Milwaukee, MinnesotaNew York, Philadelphia, Phoenix 100% First and Second Apron
Dallas, Golden State 100% Close to the First Apron
Atlanta, Brooklyn, CharlotteChicago, Cleveland, HoustonIndiana, LA Clippers, MemphisNew Orleans, Oklahoma City, OrlandoPortland, Sacramento, San AntonioToronto, Utah, Washington $0-$7.5M: 200% plus $250K;$7.5M-$30M: Outgoing salary plus $7.5M;$30M+: 125% plus $250K Teams well below the first apron;three different bracketsbased on outgoing salary
Detroit N/A Cap space team