The NBA and NBPA settled on the framework of a new collective bargaining agreement over the weekend. While the true impact of this deal won’t really be known for years to come, the fallout of a new CBA is always significant, with the consequences often arriving in an unintended fashion. (Remember when the supermax was supposed to help teams retain stars, only then those players started requesting trades even earlier because they wouldn’t re-sign? It helped the Lakers win a championship!) The new deal, which still needs to be ratified, will go into effect ahead of next season. Here are a few thoughts on some of the biggest changes.
1. The new tax apron is possibly the most important aspect of this deal. Teams operating in the luxury tax will now be met with a new hurdle: a second apron line of $17.5 million over the luxury tax line that introduces restrictions on roster construction. This mechanism is meant to penalize teams such as the Bucks, Clippers and Warriors, all of whom are paying deep into the tax for championship contenders this year. Teams that exceed this apron will not be allowed to use their taxpayer mid-level exception, cannot sign buyout players during the season and cannot take more money back in trades.
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