[h=1]Which NBA teams can chase superstar free agents?[/h]
ESPN PLUS ($ MATERIAL)
Editor's note (Feb. 22): This piece has been updated with the latest analysis and intel.
NBA executives are calling this one of the most talent-rich free-agent classes in recent years. Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson, Kemba Walker, Kyrie Irving, DeMarcus Cousins, Khris Middleton, Kristaps Porzingis, Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler headline the group of a projected 200 players who could hit free agency on July 1.
Despite the star-studded field and the salary cap projected to increase to $109 million (from $101.8 million), teams are still feeling the ripple effect from the summer of 2016, when spending was at an all-time high. ESPN is projecting only 10 teams with cap space this offseason, one more than in 2018. In 2016, there were 27 teams with room, and a year later there were 16.
While the big names, such as Leonard and Durant, will see max offers, expect 2018's same pattern of short-term contracts to repeat itself.
Keep in mind also that if either Kawhi or KD leaves, the Golden State Warriorsand Toronto Raptors will not open up cap space to sign a replacement. The same holds true with players such as Irving in Boston and Walker in Charlotte.
Here is an early look at the teams that are projected to have cap space, including five wild-card teams that could enter the mix in July.
<offer style="box-sizing: border-box;"></offer>
[h=2]Atlanta Hawks[/h]
Projected room: $41 million
Who returns: Kent Bazemore, Miles Plumlee, Trae Young, Alex Len, Taurean Prince, John Collins, Kevin Huerter. DeAndre' Bembry, Omari Spellman, Jaylen Adams (non-guaranteed), first-rounder (own) and first-rounder (from Dallas)
Who may be gone: Dewayne Dedmon, Vince Carter, Justin Anderson, and Alex Poythress
The Hawks will enter the third year of their rebuild with a roster featuring six former first-round draft picks and two potential lottery selections (the first from Dallas is top-five protected).
Expect the Hawks to act as a facilitator for unwanted contracts in exchange for draft assets. Atlanta is not at a point in its roster remake to be a destination for free agents looking to win now.
The Hawks could have up to $85 million in room in 2020.
[h=2]Brooklyn Nets[/h]
Projected room: $21 million
Who returns: Allen Crabbe, Spencer Dinwiddie, Joe Harris, Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert, Dzanan Musa, Rodions Kurucs, Shabazz Napier (contract guaranteed), Treveon Graham (contract guaranteed), D'Angelo Russell (free-agent hold), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (free-agent hold), first-rounder (own) and first-rounder (from Denver)
Who may be gone: DeMarre Carroll Jared Dudley, Ed Davis, Theo Pinsonand Alan Williams
Other charges: Deron Williams ($5.4 million)
There is a false narrative that the Nets have room for two max players. They don't. Yes, Brooklyn can clear an additional $28 million in room on top of max space, but that would come at the cost of two starters -- point guard D'Angelo Russell and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Both players are free agents with holds counting against the cap ($21 million for Russell, $7.4 million for Hollis-Jefferson).
Brooklyn can explore moving the $18.5 million expiring Allen Crabbe contract. That would likely require attaching a first-round pick to his contract or finding a team that has struck out in free agency and is need of a shooting guard. Before returning in early February, Crabbe had missed 28 games with a right knee injury.
Because Russell's salary is projected to fall well below his cap hold, expect Brooklyn to have in the neighborhood of $30 million in room.
If the both players are not brought back -- an unlikely scenario -- Brooklyn will have $47 million in room.
[h=2]Chicago Bulls[/h]
Projected room: $17 million
Who returns:Otto Porter Jr., Zach LaVine, Cristiano Felicio, Wendell Carter Jr., Kris Dunn, Lauri Markkanen, Denzel Valentine, Chandler Hutchison, Antonio Blakeney, Shaquille Harrison, Ryan Arcidiacono (free-agent hold) and first-rounder (own)
Who may be gone: Wayne Selden, Robin Lopez, Brandon Sampson and Rawle Alkins
Other charges: Omer Asik ($3 million)
The big offseason addition likely happened at the trade deadline, with the move for Otto Porter Jr. He was a top pick in the June draft, and now his $27.2 million salary leaves the Bulls with $17 million in cap space.
Chicago probably will take a conservative approach, either with one-year contracts or potentially acting as a facilitator for a team looking to clear cap space.
[h=2]Dallas Mavericks[/h]
Projected room: $29 million
Who returns: Luka Doncic, Dwight Powell, Jalen Brunson, Ray Spalding, Ryan Broekhoff, Max Kleber (free-agent hold), Dorian Finney-Smith (restricted hold), Kristaps Porzingis (restricted hold), Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee, Kostas Antetokounmpo (two-way), Daryl Macon (two-way) and Justin Jackson
Who may be gone: Devin Harris, Dirk Nowitzki, Trey Burke, JJ Barea and Salah Mejri
Other charges: Incomplete roster charge ($1.7 million)
Can Rookie of the Year favorite Luka Doncic become the recruiting tool that Dallas lacked in the past?
The Mavericks rejoined the teams with cap flexibility when they traded Harrison Barnes to Sacramento. With Barnes on the Kings, Dallas now projects to have $29 million, good enough for a player such as All-Star Nikola Vucevic.
Dallas would get close to a $38 million max slot if Powell opts out of his contract.
[h=2]Indiana Pacers[/h]
Projected room: $43 million
Who returns: Victor Oladipo, Myles Turner, Doug McDermott, Domantas Sabonis, TJ Leaf, Aaron Holiday, Alize Johnson(contract guaranteed), Edmond Sumner and first-rounder (own)
Who may be gone: Thaddeus Young, Tyreke Evans, Bojan Bogdanovic, Darren Collison, Cory Joseph and Kyle O'Quinn, Davon Reed and Wes Matthews (free agent)
Other charges: Incomplete roster charge ($3.6 million) and Monta Ellis ($2.2 million)
Here comes the hard part for GM Kevin Pritchard and his front office: Balance the cap ledger of a top-five team in the Eastern Conference without taking a step back in the offseason. Remember it was just two years ago that Pritchard turned a dire situation with Paul George to become one of the better teams in the NBA.
The Pacers also have to balance the uncertain return of injured star Victor Oladipo.
Although the Pacers can create up to $43 million in room, doing so could come at the cost of three starters: Collison, Bogdanovic and Young. Expect Pritchard to have two lines of communication open -- one for Indiana's own free agents and a second for a big catch, such as Khris Middleton.
[h=2]LA Clippers[/h]
Projected room: $53 million
Who returns: Danilo Gallinari, Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jerome Robinson, Tyrone Wallace, Sindarius Thornwell (contract guaranteed), Landry Shamet, Ivica Zubac (free agent hold) and first rounder (own, projected that LAC misses the playoffs)
Who may be gone: Patrick Beverley, Wilson Chandler, Luc Mbah a Moute, Garrett Temple, Angel Delgado, Johnathan Motley, John Jenkins and JaMychal Green
Other charges: Incomplete roster charge ($2.7 million)
The Clippers joined the Knicks in the double max club following the Tobias Harris trade. While New York has a relatively clear path, the Clippers have some work to do.
Projected now to have $53 million in room, LA would need to move the $22.6 million Gallinari contract in a trade to get that second max slot. Because of the draft compensation received from Philadelphia (two future first-round picks), moving the forward will not present an overwhelming challenge.
One option the Clippers have is to sign one All-NBA player this summer and preserve room until 2020 when the Gallinari contract comes off the books.
[h=2]Los Angeles Lakers[/h]
Projected room: $36 million
Who returns: LeBron James, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart, Mo Wagner, Isaac Bonga, and first-rounder (own)
Who may be gone: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee, Tyson Chandler, Alex Caruso, Johnathan Williamsand Mike Muscala
Other charges: Incomplete roster charge ($3.6 million) and Luol Deng ($5 million)
There is a set timeline to how L.A.'s offseason should develop. With a max slot in place after their own free agents are renounced, the Lakers would need to sign one star player first before they explore the trade market for a second piece such as Anthony Davis. Using all of their available room would leave the Lakers limited in what they can send the Pelicans if a Davis trade materializes. Outside of LeBron James, the Lakers have only $23.3 million in available contracts to send out in a trade. (At least $22 million is needed to match salary and strike a deal.) All of the Lakers' young players would need to be sent out, including Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart.
The Lakers will have two options if a Davis trade does not materialize.
They can follow the same pattern of signing players to one-year contracts, hope that the young core take another step and wait for Davis to become a free agent in 2020. But that's a long time to be patient while building a team around a 34-year old LeBron James. It would also mean losing Brandon Ingram to free agency. The forward has a $21.8 million cap hold in 2020 that would need to be removed to create room.
And what happens if Davis decides to re-sign with the team he's traded to? The Lakers would now be staring at a 2020 class that features Draymond Green as the top available unrestricted free agent.
The second option: Build out the roster with either one max player or a combination of starter-caliber free agents (think Danny Green). The Lakers would still have all their future first-round picks along with Kuzma, Hart, Ball and Ingram to use in a trade. This would leave no more than $31 million in room in 2020 if only James and another max player are left on the roster.
[h=2]New Orleans Pelicans[/h]
Projected room: $21 million
Who returns: Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, Solomon Hill, E'Twaun Moore, Frank Jackson (non-guaranteed), Jahlil Okafor(non-guaranteed), Kenrich Williams (non-guaranteed) and first-rounder (own)
Who may be gone: Julius Randle (expected to opt-out), Jason Smith, Elfrid Payton, Darius Miller, Cheick Diallo, Ian Clark, Tim Frazier, Stanley Johnsonand Trevon Bluiett
Expect New Orleans to take a conservative approach with its space, especially if the return in a Davis trade features draft picks and young prospects.
Like Atlanta has the past two offseasons, the Pelicans can use their room not just to sign players but also to take back unwanted contracts along with draft compensation.
[h=2]New York Knicks[/h]
Projected room: $71 million
Who returns: Dennis Smith Jr., Frank Ntilikina, Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, Damyean Dotson, Kadeem Allen (two-way) and first-rounder (own)
Who may be gone: Lance Thomas (waived), Emmanuel Mudiay, DeAndre Jordan, Mario Hezonja, Luke Kornet, Isaiah Hicks, Noah Vonleh and Allonzo Trier (option declined)
Other charges: Incomplete roster charge ($5.4 million) and Joakim Noah($6.4 million)
What can $71 million get you in free agency? How about a combination of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant? The Knicks are now in the lead when it comes to cap space this summer.
After sending franchise player Kristaps Porzingis to Dallas, New York now projects to have $71.3 million in room in July. The double max slot is a result of the Mavericks taking back the contracts of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee. New York could see its room increase to $74.6 million if Dotson and Trier are not brought back. Dotson has a non-guaranteed contract with a July 15 trigger date, and Trier has a team option. The likely scenario is for both players to return.
Signing two max players does not eliminate the Knicks when it comes to Anthony Davis. If New York were able to land the No. 1 pick and draft Zion Williamson, the Duke star could be packaged 30 days after signing his contract along with what's remaining on the Knicks roster, including Knox, Smith, Ntilikina and Robinson.
[h=2]Sacramento Kings[/h]
Projected room: $21 million
Who returns: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Marvin Bagley III, Nemanja Bjelica, De'Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Jackson, Harry Giles, Yogi Ferrell (contract guaranteed), Frank Mason, Harrison Barnes (player option), Caleb Swanigan and Willie Cauley-Stein (free-agent hold)
Who may be gone: Kosta Koufos, Alec Burks, Troy Williams and Wenyen Gabriel
Other charges: Matt Barnes ($2.1 million) and incomplete roster charge ($1.8 million)
The Kings face the unique situation of developing their own former first-round picks with a goal of using cap space to lure free agents in 2019. Sacramento can pitch free agents on a competitive team featuring one of the best, young backcourts in the NBA with Fox and Hield.
Sacramento's flexibility could increase from $21 million to $46 million if Barnes opts out of his contract, but the goal for the front office is to keep Barnes on the team for next season.
[h=2]The wild-card teams[/h]Milwaukee Bucks
Moving the contracts of John Henson and Matthew Dellavedova gave the Bucks the financial flexibility to either retain their own free agents -- Middleton, Eric Bledsoe, Malcolm Brogdon -- or look elsewhere. But with a team owning the league's best net rating, retaining all three core pieces should be the priority for the front office, despite the tease of creating up to $42 million in room.
The Bucks could have $22 million in room if the price tag for Bledsoe becomes too expensive and they can't retain him.
Orlando Magic
If the Magic move onto the list of teams with cap space, it will come at the cost of Nikola Vucevic. Because the All-Star has a $19.1 million cap hold, Orlando is operating over the cap despite only having $83 million in guaranteed contracts.
If Vucevic and Terrence Ross leave for free agency, Orlando will have $17 million in room.
Philadelphia 76ers
Because Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler combine for $52.8 million in free agent holds, Philadelphia will operate over the cap.
For the 76ers to be active in free agency, it would come at the cost of one of their midseason acquisitions. Not bringing back Butler leaves Philadelphia with $23 in room, including the $15.6 million JJ Redick cap hold.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns took on an additional $4 million in guaranteed salary by swapping out Ryan Anderson for Tyler Johnson, but that decrease shouldn't effect how Phoenix operates this offseason.
For the team to have room, restricted free agent Kelly Oubre Jr. would need to be renounced. Even then, the Suns would only have $11 million in cap space.
Utah Jazz
The Jazz have built their roster through the draft and trades, with free agency as a distant third option. That is why the scenario of Utah becoming a player in the free-agent chase should be met with hesitancy.
The team could create north of $20 million in room but that would come at the expense of starters Derrick Favors and Ricky Rubio.
ESPN PLUS ($ MATERIAL)
Editor's note (Feb. 22): This piece has been updated with the latest analysis and intel.
NBA executives are calling this one of the most talent-rich free-agent classes in recent years. Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson, Kemba Walker, Kyrie Irving, DeMarcus Cousins, Khris Middleton, Kristaps Porzingis, Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler headline the group of a projected 200 players who could hit free agency on July 1.
Despite the star-studded field and the salary cap projected to increase to $109 million (from $101.8 million), teams are still feeling the ripple effect from the summer of 2016, when spending was at an all-time high. ESPN is projecting only 10 teams with cap space this offseason, one more than in 2018. In 2016, there were 27 teams with room, and a year later there were 16.
While the big names, such as Leonard and Durant, will see max offers, expect 2018's same pattern of short-term contracts to repeat itself.
Keep in mind also that if either Kawhi or KD leaves, the Golden State Warriorsand Toronto Raptors will not open up cap space to sign a replacement. The same holds true with players such as Irving in Boston and Walker in Charlotte.
Here is an early look at the teams that are projected to have cap space, including five wild-card teams that could enter the mix in July.
<offer style="box-sizing: border-box;"></offer>
[h=2]Atlanta Hawks[/h]
Who returns: Kent Bazemore, Miles Plumlee, Trae Young, Alex Len, Taurean Prince, John Collins, Kevin Huerter. DeAndre' Bembry, Omari Spellman, Jaylen Adams (non-guaranteed), first-rounder (own) and first-rounder (from Dallas)
Who may be gone: Dewayne Dedmon, Vince Carter, Justin Anderson, and Alex Poythress
The Hawks will enter the third year of their rebuild with a roster featuring six former first-round draft picks and two potential lottery selections (the first from Dallas is top-five protected).
Expect the Hawks to act as a facilitator for unwanted contracts in exchange for draft assets. Atlanta is not at a point in its roster remake to be a destination for free agents looking to win now.
The Hawks could have up to $85 million in room in 2020.
[h=2]Brooklyn Nets[/h]
Projected room: $21 million
Who returns: Allen Crabbe, Spencer Dinwiddie, Joe Harris, Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert, Dzanan Musa, Rodions Kurucs, Shabazz Napier (contract guaranteed), Treveon Graham (contract guaranteed), D'Angelo Russell (free-agent hold), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (free-agent hold), first-rounder (own) and first-rounder (from Denver)
Who may be gone: DeMarre Carroll Jared Dudley, Ed Davis, Theo Pinsonand Alan Williams
Other charges: Deron Williams ($5.4 million)
There is a false narrative that the Nets have room for two max players. They don't. Yes, Brooklyn can clear an additional $28 million in room on top of max space, but that would come at the cost of two starters -- point guard D'Angelo Russell and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Both players are free agents with holds counting against the cap ($21 million for Russell, $7.4 million for Hollis-Jefferson).
Brooklyn can explore moving the $18.5 million expiring Allen Crabbe contract. That would likely require attaching a first-round pick to his contract or finding a team that has struck out in free agency and is need of a shooting guard. Before returning in early February, Crabbe had missed 28 games with a right knee injury.
Because Russell's salary is projected to fall well below his cap hold, expect Brooklyn to have in the neighborhood of $30 million in room.
If the both players are not brought back -- an unlikely scenario -- Brooklyn will have $47 million in room.
[h=2]Chicago Bulls[/h]
Projected room: $17 million
Who returns:Otto Porter Jr., Zach LaVine, Cristiano Felicio, Wendell Carter Jr., Kris Dunn, Lauri Markkanen, Denzel Valentine, Chandler Hutchison, Antonio Blakeney, Shaquille Harrison, Ryan Arcidiacono (free-agent hold) and first-rounder (own)
Who may be gone: Wayne Selden, Robin Lopez, Brandon Sampson and Rawle Alkins
Other charges: Omer Asik ($3 million)
The big offseason addition likely happened at the trade deadline, with the move for Otto Porter Jr. He was a top pick in the June draft, and now his $27.2 million salary leaves the Bulls with $17 million in cap space.
Chicago probably will take a conservative approach, either with one-year contracts or potentially acting as a facilitator for a team looking to clear cap space.
[h=2]Dallas Mavericks[/h]
Projected room: $29 million
Who returns: Luka Doncic, Dwight Powell, Jalen Brunson, Ray Spalding, Ryan Broekhoff, Max Kleber (free-agent hold), Dorian Finney-Smith (restricted hold), Kristaps Porzingis (restricted hold), Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee, Kostas Antetokounmpo (two-way), Daryl Macon (two-way) and Justin Jackson
Who may be gone: Devin Harris, Dirk Nowitzki, Trey Burke, JJ Barea and Salah Mejri
Other charges: Incomplete roster charge ($1.7 million)
Can Rookie of the Year favorite Luka Doncic become the recruiting tool that Dallas lacked in the past?
The Mavericks rejoined the teams with cap flexibility when they traded Harrison Barnes to Sacramento. With Barnes on the Kings, Dallas now projects to have $29 million, good enough for a player such as All-Star Nikola Vucevic.
Dallas would get close to a $38 million max slot if Powell opts out of his contract.
[h=2]Indiana Pacers[/h]
Projected room: $43 million
Who returns: Victor Oladipo, Myles Turner, Doug McDermott, Domantas Sabonis, TJ Leaf, Aaron Holiday, Alize Johnson(contract guaranteed), Edmond Sumner and first-rounder (own)
Who may be gone: Thaddeus Young, Tyreke Evans, Bojan Bogdanovic, Darren Collison, Cory Joseph and Kyle O'Quinn, Davon Reed and Wes Matthews (free agent)
Other charges: Incomplete roster charge ($3.6 million) and Monta Ellis ($2.2 million)
Here comes the hard part for GM Kevin Pritchard and his front office: Balance the cap ledger of a top-five team in the Eastern Conference without taking a step back in the offseason. Remember it was just two years ago that Pritchard turned a dire situation with Paul George to become one of the better teams in the NBA.
The Pacers also have to balance the uncertain return of injured star Victor Oladipo.
Although the Pacers can create up to $43 million in room, doing so could come at the cost of three starters: Collison, Bogdanovic and Young. Expect Pritchard to have two lines of communication open -- one for Indiana's own free agents and a second for a big catch, such as Khris Middleton.
[h=2]LA Clippers[/h]
Projected room: $53 million
Who returns: Danilo Gallinari, Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jerome Robinson, Tyrone Wallace, Sindarius Thornwell (contract guaranteed), Landry Shamet, Ivica Zubac (free agent hold) and first rounder (own, projected that LAC misses the playoffs)
Who may be gone: Patrick Beverley, Wilson Chandler, Luc Mbah a Moute, Garrett Temple, Angel Delgado, Johnathan Motley, John Jenkins and JaMychal Green
Other charges: Incomplete roster charge ($2.7 million)
The Clippers joined the Knicks in the double max club following the Tobias Harris trade. While New York has a relatively clear path, the Clippers have some work to do.
Projected now to have $53 million in room, LA would need to move the $22.6 million Gallinari contract in a trade to get that second max slot. Because of the draft compensation received from Philadelphia (two future first-round picks), moving the forward will not present an overwhelming challenge.
One option the Clippers have is to sign one All-NBA player this summer and preserve room until 2020 when the Gallinari contract comes off the books.
[h=2]Los Angeles Lakers[/h]
Projected room: $36 million
Who returns: LeBron James, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart, Mo Wagner, Isaac Bonga, and first-rounder (own)
Who may be gone: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee, Tyson Chandler, Alex Caruso, Johnathan Williamsand Mike Muscala
Other charges: Incomplete roster charge ($3.6 million) and Luol Deng ($5 million)
There is a set timeline to how L.A.'s offseason should develop. With a max slot in place after their own free agents are renounced, the Lakers would need to sign one star player first before they explore the trade market for a second piece such as Anthony Davis. Using all of their available room would leave the Lakers limited in what they can send the Pelicans if a Davis trade materializes. Outside of LeBron James, the Lakers have only $23.3 million in available contracts to send out in a trade. (At least $22 million is needed to match salary and strike a deal.) All of the Lakers' young players would need to be sent out, including Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart.
The Lakers will have two options if a Davis trade does not materialize.
They can follow the same pattern of signing players to one-year contracts, hope that the young core take another step and wait for Davis to become a free agent in 2020. But that's a long time to be patient while building a team around a 34-year old LeBron James. It would also mean losing Brandon Ingram to free agency. The forward has a $21.8 million cap hold in 2020 that would need to be removed to create room.
And what happens if Davis decides to re-sign with the team he's traded to? The Lakers would now be staring at a 2020 class that features Draymond Green as the top available unrestricted free agent.
The second option: Build out the roster with either one max player or a combination of starter-caliber free agents (think Danny Green). The Lakers would still have all their future first-round picks along with Kuzma, Hart, Ball and Ingram to use in a trade. This would leave no more than $31 million in room in 2020 if only James and another max player are left on the roster.
[h=2]New Orleans Pelicans[/h]
Projected room: $21 million
Who returns: Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, Solomon Hill, E'Twaun Moore, Frank Jackson (non-guaranteed), Jahlil Okafor(non-guaranteed), Kenrich Williams (non-guaranteed) and first-rounder (own)
Who may be gone: Julius Randle (expected to opt-out), Jason Smith, Elfrid Payton, Darius Miller, Cheick Diallo, Ian Clark, Tim Frazier, Stanley Johnsonand Trevon Bluiett
Expect New Orleans to take a conservative approach with its space, especially if the return in a Davis trade features draft picks and young prospects.
Like Atlanta has the past two offseasons, the Pelicans can use their room not just to sign players but also to take back unwanted contracts along with draft compensation.
[h=2]New York Knicks[/h]
Projected room: $71 million
Who returns: Dennis Smith Jr., Frank Ntilikina, Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, Damyean Dotson, Kadeem Allen (two-way) and first-rounder (own)
Who may be gone: Lance Thomas (waived), Emmanuel Mudiay, DeAndre Jordan, Mario Hezonja, Luke Kornet, Isaiah Hicks, Noah Vonleh and Allonzo Trier (option declined)
Other charges: Incomplete roster charge ($5.4 million) and Joakim Noah($6.4 million)
What can $71 million get you in free agency? How about a combination of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant? The Knicks are now in the lead when it comes to cap space this summer.
After sending franchise player Kristaps Porzingis to Dallas, New York now projects to have $71.3 million in room in July. The double max slot is a result of the Mavericks taking back the contracts of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee. New York could see its room increase to $74.6 million if Dotson and Trier are not brought back. Dotson has a non-guaranteed contract with a July 15 trigger date, and Trier has a team option. The likely scenario is for both players to return.
Signing two max players does not eliminate the Knicks when it comes to Anthony Davis. If New York were able to land the No. 1 pick and draft Zion Williamson, the Duke star could be packaged 30 days after signing his contract along with what's remaining on the Knicks roster, including Knox, Smith, Ntilikina and Robinson.
[h=2]Sacramento Kings[/h]
Projected room: $21 million
Who returns: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Marvin Bagley III, Nemanja Bjelica, De'Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Jackson, Harry Giles, Yogi Ferrell (contract guaranteed), Frank Mason, Harrison Barnes (player option), Caleb Swanigan and Willie Cauley-Stein (free-agent hold)
Who may be gone: Kosta Koufos, Alec Burks, Troy Williams and Wenyen Gabriel
Other charges: Matt Barnes ($2.1 million) and incomplete roster charge ($1.8 million)
The Kings face the unique situation of developing their own former first-round picks with a goal of using cap space to lure free agents in 2019. Sacramento can pitch free agents on a competitive team featuring one of the best, young backcourts in the NBA with Fox and Hield.
Sacramento's flexibility could increase from $21 million to $46 million if Barnes opts out of his contract, but the goal for the front office is to keep Barnes on the team for next season.
[h=2]The wild-card teams[/h]Milwaukee Bucks
Moving the contracts of John Henson and Matthew Dellavedova gave the Bucks the financial flexibility to either retain their own free agents -- Middleton, Eric Bledsoe, Malcolm Brogdon -- or look elsewhere. But with a team owning the league's best net rating, retaining all three core pieces should be the priority for the front office, despite the tease of creating up to $42 million in room.
The Bucks could have $22 million in room if the price tag for Bledsoe becomes too expensive and they can't retain him.
Orlando Magic
If the Magic move onto the list of teams with cap space, it will come at the cost of Nikola Vucevic. Because the All-Star has a $19.1 million cap hold, Orlando is operating over the cap despite only having $83 million in guaranteed contracts.
If Vucevic and Terrence Ross leave for free agency, Orlando will have $17 million in room.
Philadelphia 76ers
Because Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler combine for $52.8 million in free agent holds, Philadelphia will operate over the cap.
For the 76ers to be active in free agency, it would come at the cost of one of their midseason acquisitions. Not bringing back Butler leaves Philadelphia with $23 in room, including the $15.6 million JJ Redick cap hold.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns took on an additional $4 million in guaranteed salary by swapping out Ryan Anderson for Tyler Johnson, but that decrease shouldn't effect how Phoenix operates this offseason.
For the team to have room, restricted free agent Kelly Oubre Jr. would need to be renounced. Even then, the Suns would only have $11 million in cap space.
Utah Jazz
The Jazz have built their roster through the draft and trades, with free agency as a distant third option. That is why the scenario of Utah becoming a player in the free-agent chase should be met with hesitancy.
The team could create north of $20 million in room but that would come at the expense of starters Derrick Favors and Ricky Rubio.
