According to several sources, the league and union are not just negotiating a 2025-26 number, but beyond that. It depends on who you talk to but, if this works out, we could get up to two additional seasons solidified.
On his Agent Provocateur podcast this week, Allan Walsh said, “I am telling you right now, the upper limit of the salary cap next year will be $97 million,” adding it could reach $105 million by 2027-28. Walsh has better sources than I do, so he’s got better detail on numbers. But it fits with the salary cap being set for three seasons. Also, what stood out to me was his use of the word “smoothing.”
The NBA had a massive jump in the summer of 2016: $24.1 million, and in retrospect, both owners and players hated it. Too much chaos and jealousy — the gigantic bump allowed the Golden State Warriors to sign Kevin Durant, prolonging their dynasty. In their new CBA, both sides agreed the cap can't increase by more than 10 per cent from one season to next.
That’s smoothing.