NBA:Salary Cap
| Reference | Contracts · Rosters · Salary Cap · League Spreadsheet |
| Transactions | Waivers · Trades · Options · Re-Signing · Draft · Free Agency · G League · Injured Reserve |
| Timeline | Off-Season · In-Season |
| Governance | League Structure · GM Responsibilities · Rule Changes |
| Tools | Re-Sign Calculator · Free Agency Bid Calculator |
The salary cap is the maximum amount each team can spend each season on player salaries and cap hits combined.
The cap
$60,000,000. The same for every team, binding at all times — unlike roster size, it applies through the off-season too.
What counts against it
Every player you are paying counts his full salary, wherever he sits — active, G League, or Injured Reserve.
Waived players are the only case where a contract counts for less than its full value.
Calculating your cap space
Cap Space = Salary Cap − Total Salary − Cap Hits
Total Salary is your players only — active, G League, and IR. It does not include cap hits, which are counted separately.
From the example roster:
$58,467,800 15 player salaries + $1,400,000 4 cap hits + $132,200 cap space = $60,000,000 salary cap
Cap hits
Money you owe for a player no longer on your roster. Each has a cause, an amount, and an end year — dead money rolls off.
| Cause | Amount | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Waiving a player | 40% of salary | Through the last guaranteed year |
| Waiving a draft-and-stash player before he comes over | 40% of salary | One year |
| Bidding over the cap in free agency | 40% of the contract you offered | One year |
The stashed-player case is separate because a stashed contract has no end date to calculate against.
How a waiver hit lands
The 40% is assumed the moment the waiver is posted, not when the player clears, so waiving frees 60% of the salary immediately. A player claimed by another team costs you nothing at all.
The roster spot frees too, and it frees in full — check the cap number rather than assuming the money followed the spot.
Timing
Drafted players count from selection. A pick is signed the moment it is posted, so his slot salary lands on your cap immediately. Enter the draft already holding room for every pick you intend to make.
See also
- Rosters — the three roster counts and the summary block
- Contracts — how salary and years are written
- Waivers — the 48-hour process and the 40% hit
- Free Agency — bidding within your space
- Re-Signing — the $11,500,000 re-sign maximum