Golden State is in a situation where it can no longer recruit players without the release of existing players.
The Golden State Warriors have significantly reduced their team salaries ahead of the 2024-2025 season.
Team salaries, which topped the NBA with $27.81 million last season, are now down more than $30 million to $177.59 million, about a month before the opening of the 2024-2025 season.
This is because there have been major changes in the roster, such as giving up re-signing franchise star Clay Tamson and releasing Chris Paul.
However, despite such a decrease in salary, Golden State is unable to recruit additional players.
This is because of the NBA’s apron system, which was applied in earnest from the 2023-2024 season.
The Apron system is a system that limits the maintenance and reinforcement of the power of teams that spend more than the luxury tax line.
Since the introduction of the apron system, there have been two lines in the NBA. They are the first apron line and the second apron line.
As of 2024-2025 season, the First Apron Line is $178.13 million, and the Second Apron Line is $188.93 million.
Golden State spent more than $200 million last season, well over the second apron line, and now has a team annual salary of $177.64 million, just below the first apron line, ahead of the new season.
However, Golden State cannot even cross the first apron line in the new season.
Because I took a certain move.
This summer, Golden State acquired Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson through a sign-and-trade agreement. Then, it acquired D&Sunny Melton through a mid-level exception agreement.
GSW major moves for summer 2024
July 7: Buddy Hield ($37.76 million for four years), Kyle Anderson ($27.76 million for three years) by sign and trade
July 9: D&Sunny Melton ($12.8 million for one year) recruited by mid-level excursions
Aug. 30: Stephen Curry Extension Contract ($62.59 million for one year)
Under the apron system rules, a team that used an exception clause contract (mid-level exception contract, non-annual exception contract) and a team that acquired a player in a sign-and-trade cannot go beyond the first apron line in that season. 메이저사이트
In response to such cases, the term “hard-caped” is used locally.
Golden State signed and traded sign exceptions in the process of acquiring Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson and D&Sunny Melton in the summer of 2024.
So, in the upcoming 2024-2025 season, Golden State should never see its team salary total exceed $178.13 million, the first apron line.
If you cross the first apron line, you will face disadvantages such as no additional contracts and active financial constraints at the league secretariat level.
With the exception of the two-way contract, Golden State’s current team salary of 14 regular players is about $177.64 million, as previously mentioned.
In other words, we can’t afford even $500,000 to the first apron line.
Therefore, until the opening of the season, Golden State cannot recruit new players unless it releases existing players.
“The Athletic” reported Golden State’s situation and explained, “Golden State has no salary space for the 15th player,” adding, “Justin Halladay and Naseer Little, who recently worked with Golden State, as well as Kevin Knox, who played for Golden State in the Summer League, should face this reality.”
At the same time, he added, “However, it is not completely impossible for them to join. If Gui Santos and Lindy Waters III, who are not guaranteed contracts, are released, it is possible to recruit other players.”
With Clay Tamson and Chris Paul all gone, Golden State is entering a substantially new era.
With the members who opened the golden age either aging or leaving the team, it is time to expect the growth of players such as Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Pozemski and Moses Moody.
It is necessary to see what Golden State, which is unable to reinforce its players due to the NBA’s apron system, will do until the opening day of the season, which is about a month away.