Explainer
The NBA second apron, in plain English
What the threshold does, which teams sit above it, and why the trade market has shifted.
The NBA's second apron is the third tier of the league's salary cap, sitting above the luxury tax and the first apron. The penalties for teams above the second apron are designed to discourage the highest-spending franchises from accumulating talent through trade.
What the threshold does
- Teams above the second apron cannot aggregate contracts in trades.
- Teams above the second apron cannot use the trade exception.
- Teams above the second apron have restricted access to the mid-level exception.
- Teams above the second apron for three consecutive years lose access to the first-round pick.
Which teams sit above it
The second apron is calculated as a percentage above the salary cap, and the threshold has moved upward each year of the new CBA. The teams currently above the second apron include the Golden State Warriors, the Phoenix Suns, the LA Clippers and the Boston Celtics.
Why the trade market has shifted
The restrictions have created a two-tier trade market. Teams above the apron have limited avenues to acquire players, while teams below the apron are positioning for a run at the trade deadline. The pattern has been the rise of the "tax-free" trade, where teams below the apron absorb the salary of a player the apron team cannot move.