NBPA Demands Changes to NBA’s “Second Apron” Salary Cap Mechanism

National Basketball Players Association executive director David Kelly announced that the league’s “second apron”—the $221.7 million spending threshold that triggers the harshest luxury-tax penalties and limits on trades, free-agency signings and draft picks—should be “softened” or eliminated. Kelly argued the rule, introduced in 2023 for “cost-control purposes,” is forcing teams to make non-basketball decisions and pressuring star players into discounted contracts.

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Under the current collective bargaining agreement the NBA operates with a $165 million salary cap and a $200.4 million luxury-tax line. Teams exceeding the $209 million “first apron” face higher tax rates and modest roster-building restrictions. Surpassing the second apron at $221.7 million adds steeper tax penalties and blocks additional talent acquisition via trades, free agency or the draft. In the 2025-26 season only the Cleveland Cavaliers breached the second apron; the Boston Celtics cited it when trading 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, and the New York Knicks vowed to avoid it despite winning the 2026 championship.

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Kelly emphasized that the apron is not essential for league parity, noting that the NBA enjoyed an eight-year stretch with eight different champions before the rule’s implementation. He called for “some tweaks” to the system within the existing collective bargaining agreement, warning that without adjustment the issue would not be revisited until a new labor round, potentially after the 2028-29 season.

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NBA commissioner Adam Silver maintains the apron was designed to foster competitive balance. Some owners, such as James Dolan of the Knicks, accept the penalties to preserve financial discipline. Yet several stakeholders—including Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet, NBPA president, and front-office executives—have voiced concerns that the apron hampers team flexibility and places undue burden on players.

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• “We are not fans of the second apron,” — David Kelly, NBPA executive director

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• “We did not propose the second apron. We should have done a better job of fighting back against the second apron. In the future, we will have a much more unified union, and we will do a better job of fighting back. ... We're seeing [the apron system] decimate teams and force decisions to be made that are not basketball decisions.” — David Kelly

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• “We did not propose the second apron. We should have done a better job of fighting back against the second apron. In the future, we will have a much more unified union, and we will do a better job of fighting back. ... We're seeing [the apron system] decimate teams and force decisions to be made that are not basketball decisions.” — David Kelly

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• “We've seen more teams, GMs, front offices, owners and agents have issues and concerns with the apron as well," VanVleet said.” — Fred VanVleet, NBPA president

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• “ Kelly said that it would be "fantastic" if the NBA and National Basketball Players Association could agree to "some tweaks" to the apron system during the current collective bargaining agreement.” — David Kelly

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