The Brooklyn Nets are concerned with trying to win as many games as possible during the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season as they try to work out their way out of this rebuild. Brooklyn is hoping to see veterans like Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle lead the way for the young players on the team, but they may have to keep their eye on next season as well.
Fred Katz of The Athletic reported on Saturday that the "NBA has informed teams of its updated salary cap projections for the 2027-28 season" with training camp on the horizon at the end of this month. According to Katz, the salary cap for the 2027-28 season will be $176 million while the luxury tax line will be $213 million, both numbers being higher than the league's last projection for that year.
As it pertains to 2027-28, the Nets have only two players under contract for that season with forward Terance Mann being owed $16 million, rookie guard Mikel Brown Jr. is slated to make $9.2 million, and rookie forward Joshua Jefferson will make $3.1 million. Heading into that season, Porter will be an unrestricted free-agent, assuming that he doesn't sign an extension, and Randle has a player option worth $35.8 million.
Forward Noah Clowney will be a restricted free-agent that summer and seven players will have team options for that season, led by center Day'Ron Sharpe with a team option worth $10 million. Guard Keon Ellis and center Mo Wagner have mutual options for the 2027-28 season worth $9 million and $9.45 million, respectively, so that summer will be interesting to see which side picks up the option, if at all.
Some of the top free-agents that are expected to be available next summer, outside of Porter, are forward Kawhi Leonard, Milwaukee Bucks guard Tyler Herro, and Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum. In most years, the NBA salary cap will increase, but it seems like the higher projection means that there is more money available to spend and the Nets will be able to spend more of it thanks to their clean cap sheet for the 2027-28 campaign.
The NBA has informed teams of its updated salary cap projections for the 2027-28 season, league sources tell @TheAthletic:
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) September 12, 2026
• $176 million salary cap
• $213 million luxury tax line
The new projection comes in $2 million higher than the league’s last one.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: NBA updates salary cap projections for 2027-28; how are Nets affected?
