NEW YORK — The NBA salary cap was set Wednesday for next season at $70 million, a higher-than-expected
number that paves the way for free agent contracts to be signed.
The league said the cap increased by 11 percent from last season’s $63.1 million and the 2015-16 cap will
be the highest ever — though it will be shattered next summer. It had been projected to come in closer
to $67 million until recently.
With the cap set, the league’s moratorium will be lifted at midnight, and deals and trades that were
agreed to since free agency opened on July 1 can become official beginning Thursday at 12:01 a.m. EDT.

Also, the tax level increased 10.3 percent to $84.7 million. Teams whose payrolls exceed it will be
subjected to penalties.
The salary cap is derived in part on league revenues. It is expected to vault to about $90 million for
the 2016-17 season, when the league’s new national TV contracts begin.
In the meantime, there’s plenty of money for teams and players next season. Maximum salaries will rise,
because they are based on a percentage of the cap, depending on a player’s years of service.
LeBron James, should he sign for the max, would make $23 million next season with more than 10 years in
the league.
There will be three spending exceptions available to teams. The non-taxpayer mid-level for this season is
$5.5 million, the taxpayer mid-level is $3.4 million and the mid-level for a team with room under the
salary cap is $2.8 million.
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