Whether or not NBA play returns, the coronavirus will likely result in a lower salary cap than expected next season.
That could affect the Oklahoma City Thunder’s pursuit of bringing back Danilo Gallinari.
Sources of The Athletic’s John Hollinger indicated the salary cap next season might be a little over $109 million and luxury tax line around $132 million.
That cap is about $6 million less than what was expected and the tax line about $7 million under the expectation prior to the pandemic.
Hollinger went through every team in the league to see potential implications of such a difference.
For the Thunder, it would make it tougher to re-sign Gallinari, especially if team officials are trying to stay out of the luxury tax.
Hollinger wrote:
“If the Thunder entertain ideas of keeping Danilo Gallinari at a price point in the $20-25 million range, a lower tax line makes it a lot harder. Not impossible, but harder.”
The Miami Heat, a team interested in Gallinari at the trade deadline, have salary cap space that could allow them to make a larger offer, according to Hollinger.
The writer also mentioned Gallinari in his Phoenix Suns section, but that was good news for Oklahoma City: The Suns would face a tough task to coax Gallinari with $19 million.
Oklahoma City can still battle the Heat, and other suitors, for Gallinari, but the team also has other needs.
“One presumes they’d like to use their full mid-level on a younger wing and that they also would wish to keep Nerlens Noel; doing all three would push them well into the tax and invoke a punishing repeater penalty.”
Gallinari appears to be the only major piece that would be impacted by a salary cap drop. There’s no guarantee he returns even if the money is right; if he chooses a different team, the Thunder can avoid the luxury tax.
“Should Gallinari walk, the Thunder are unaffected and will have ample room to both retain Noel and use all their exception money if they choose.”
