According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the NBA provided 30 teams with the latest salary cap forecast for the 2025-26 season, with the cap climbing to $154.6 million.
This is an increase of $14 million from this year.
Marks also provided a gorgeous tax projection. This starts at $187.9 million.
Prior to 2016-17, the NBA salary cap rose to fame, rising from $63 million to $84.7 million thanks to additional revenue from media rights transactions. Many contracts have signed that the offseason has become a major overpayment and spending levels will be normalized quickly. Players who hit free agency since 2017 struggled with the results.
The NBA and players unions have made sure to avoid similar issues in anticipation of new media rights transactions, which meant another influx of cash entering the league.
Current collective bargaining agreements stipulate that the salary cap increases by only 10% per year. The most recent projection from the mark represents the maximum allowed through the CBA.
Despite the cap being raised, fans shouldn’t expect free agency Bonanza this summer.
With the limit set at $154.6 million, SpotRac estimates that 11 teams can realistically hold the cap. Of that group, only the New Orleans Pelican, Detroit Piston and Brooklyn Net could spend more than $20 million.
