As the Warriors remain patient in their efforts to trade for Utah Jazz All-Star Lauri Markkanen, there’s much to be said about how the franchise sits against the NBA salary cap and luxury-tax aprons.
To start, Golden State, which over the last three NBA seasons paid an average of $170 million in luxury tax payments, is $36 million over the $140.5 million 2024-25 salary cap threshold and $5.7 million over the $170.8 million luxury-tax threshold.
And although the Warriors shed what would have been a pricey Klay Thompson salary, Golden State is paying roughly $106 million for the trio of Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins.
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As it stands, the team’s total salary for the upcoming season totals $177.7 million, putting the Warriors just $534,704 below the hard cap.
Unable to fill the 15th roster slot until toward the end of the season, if general manager Mike Dunleavy and coach Steve Kerr can’t execute a trade this offseason, the Warriors would be left with its current 14-man roster, which includes a trio of two-way contracts.
This offseason, the Warriors have managed to sign De’Anthony Melton, Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield but remain “aggressors” in the Markkanen trade sweepstakes, as the franchise looks to move on from the Thompson era.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors do still have $4.7 million in Bi-Annual Exceptions to use on a free agent or in trade, but as the rumors point out, the key for Dunleavy and Co. to reshape the current roster is a blockbuster trade.
If he manages to deliver, it will not only satisfy Dubs Nation but the Warriors’ cap sheet as well.