OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - SEPTERMBER 30: Steven Adams #12 of the Oklahoma City Thunder smiles during an open practice on September 30, 2018 at Chesepeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)
Steven Adams a key to cutting salary in OKC
If you are a fan of the Oklahoma City Thunder beware that some of the team’s better players are on the trading block a day before the 2019 draft. Steven Adams is the primary name mentioned by national media as the twenty-five million dollar a year man could free up some very costly salary as of a negative sixteen and one half million dollar luxury tax space facing the team (https://www.spotrac.com/nba/cap/). The Thunder are working to trade him. Other Thunder players General Manager Sam Presti is looking to dump are guards Andre Roberson and Dennis Schroder, and post Patrick Patterson. Fact is, only Russell Westbrook and Paul George are the only two Thunder roster members that seem to be safe from a trade.
Here is the breakdown:
2019 Salary
Steven Adams $25,842,697
Dennis Schroder $15,500,000
Andre Roberson $10, 740.740
Patrick Patterson $5, 711,200
The estimated lux tax for OKC if current salaries holds is in excess of 50 million dollars. See the chart:
2019-20 Luxury Tax Totals
Denotes the Thunder current standing in terms of the luxury tax threshold. Teams that spend over the threshold pay fines (estimated below).
Type
Totals
2019 NBA Luxury Tax Threshold
$132,000,000
Total Taxable Salaries
$148,568,211
Luxury Tax Space
$-16,568,211
Est. Luxury Tax Bill
$50,414,901
It is no wonder Sam Presti is currently wheeling and dealing. It is almost a given that moves will be made in the very near future.
Photo Credit: SI
