LeBron James and Kevin Durant (Photo : Ethan Miller | Getty Images Sport)
The NBA salary cap will get an unprecedented spike in 2016 which will spur a lot of overpaid players.
But the cap is projected to take another bump at the end of the 2017 season and the max contract is projected to reach $108 million as noted by SB Nation.
"The jump follows a projected $22 million increase -- from $67.1 million to $89 million -- between the 2015-16 and 2016-17 salary caps," SB Nation stated. "The NBA's skyrocketing payrolls are the result of a lucrative television deal inked last October worth $9 billion dollars."
This is why the free agents of 2016 are the beneficiaries of very fortunate timing. At a time when the cap is rising, there are also a record number of teams with cap space. Part of this is because teams wanted a game changer like Kevin Durant. But there is only one Kevin Durant and he may not even leave the OKC Thunder.
However, the 2017 free agents may even be luckier as the second spike of the salary cap will propel it beyond 100 million. For players who will sign with their home teams and has10 years experience, a max 5 year deal with 7.5% raises with can make as much as $209 million over 5 years ($41.8 million/year)!
Who will get to sign this contract? Hoops Habit looks at LeBron James' situation.
"When the salary cap reaches its zenith in 2017, LeBron will likely take a max deal," HH explains. "If he can convince the Cavaliers to give him the most they can by using his Bird Rights (which allows for 7.5 percent increases per season instead of 4.5 percent), LeBron could make $219 million over five seasons, with the last year being worth some $50 million."
After the second spike in 2017 which could reach 108 million, the cap is expected to actually recede to 100 million in 2018 and stay at that amount. That's why even if the teams can technically overpay in 2017, that will result in a bloated cap the following year and force them to be frugal.
Thus, teams should not give the max contracts to undeserving players. In that light, who could become the league's first $ 200 million player?
It's possible that LeBron James would not demand the max contract to allow more flexibility for the Cavs in succeeding years. After all, he was rumored to agree to a $500 million deal with Nike. But the Cavs would not hesitate to offer the max if the the King required it, of course.
Stephen Curry is the league's biggest bargain receiving $11 million/year. If he opts out in 2017, he falls short of the 10 year requirement to receive 30% of the salary cap. What he can get, for players with 7-9 years experience, a max 5 year deal with 7.5% raises with incumbent franchise which would be $179 million over 5 years.
Kevin Durant can also get that contract next year, but he must sign a one-year deal this summer and then, sign the max, 5 year deal when he finally has 10 years experience. Russell Westbrook will be a free agent in 2017, but he can only sign the same deal as Curry's because he only 9 years experience.
The most probable scenario is that both LeBron James and Kevin Durant sign their 5 year max deals in 2017. If not the max, perhaps just over 200 million.
