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The NBA salary cap projection for 2018-19 remains steady at $101 million according to a memo sent to NBA teams, revealed by Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders and NBA TV. The final number won’t be known until the free agent moratorium in July, 2018, but the league does not forecast a windfall.
In a memo to teams, the NBA has NOT changed it's preseason salary cap projection, it remains at $101 mil for 2018-19 and 108 mil for 2019-20. Tax at $123 mil and $131 mil, respectively. Typically, there's variance in the pre/post projection but not this year
— Eric Pincus (@EricPincus) April 16, 2018
According to Basketball Insiders, the Portland Trail Blazers are obligated to $110.5 million in salary already for 2018-19, well over the projected cap. That figure does not include any optional or free agent contracts, including those of Jusuf Nurkic, Shabazz Napier, and Pat Connaughton. Retaining any of those players would push the number higher.
Pincus also reports that during the current season, players have received more than their allotted share of Basketball Related Income (BRI) mandated by the league’s collective bargaining agreement.
Additionally, the players project to have earned $20 million more than their share of basketball related income. The NBA will recoup that $ from escrow (the 10% that's withheld all year from player checks)
— Eric Pincus (@EricPincus) April 16, 2018