MINIMUM SALARY FAQ
Last Updated: Oct 2, 2024
Navigation
- What is the minimum salary?
- What is the current minimum salary?
- Why does a player have a lower cap hit than their salary?
- Can contracts be signed below the minimum salary?
- Can minimum salary contracts include bonuses?
- How are late signings pro-rated?
- What is the minimum salary exception?
What is the minimum salary?
Teams must offer contracts that meet the minimum salary requirements as specified by the active NBA CBA. The minimum salary is the salary floor for NBA player contracts. The minimum salaries for the current CBA are calculated as a function of the players 'years of service' and the length of the contract. Values are displayed below.
Since the 2017 CBA, the minimum salary values adjust by an equivalent percentage to the annual adjustment in the salary cap
Since the 2017 CBA, the minimum salary values adjust by an equivalent percentage to the annual adjustment in the salary cap
What is the current minimum salary?
The current CBA specifies that minimum salaries are determined as a function of the players 'years of service' and the length of the contract. The salary progression for multi-year contracts can be determined by reading the below table on a left to right downward slope because the players 'years of service' will increase each year: For example, a player signed to two year contract with 0 years of service would have a first year salary of $1,157,153, and a second year salary of $1,955,377)
When the NBA releases their future year cap estimates, the minimum salary values are applied as a function of the percent change. Future years that do not have estimates are projected. Please visit the Salary Cap History summary to determine which seasons are NBA estimates or SalarySwish projections
| Years of Service | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | $815,615 | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | $1,312,611 | $1,378,242 | - | - | - |
| 2 | $1,471,382 | $1,544,951 | $1,618,520 | - | - |
| 3 | $1,524,305 | $1,600,520 | $1,676,735 | $1,752,950 | - |
| 4 | $1,577,230 | $1,656,092 | $1,734,954 | $1,813,816 | $1,892,678 |
| 5 | $1,709,538 | $1,795,015 | $1,880,492 | $1,965,969 | $2,051,446 |
| 6 | $1,841,849 | $1,933,941 | $2,026,033 | $2,118,125 | $2,210,217 |
| 7 | $1,974,159 | $2,072,867 | $2,171,575 | $2,270,283 | $2,368,991 |
| 8 | $2,106,470 | $2,211,794 | $2,317,118 | $2,422,442 | $2,527,766 |
| 9 | $2,116,955 | $2,222,803 | $2,328,651 | $2,434,499 | $2,540,347 |
| 10 | $2,328,652 | $2,445,085 | $2,561,518 | $2,677,951 | $2,794,384 |
| 0 | $838,464 | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | $1,349,383 | $1,416,852 | - | - | - |
| 2 | $1,512,601 | $1,588,231 | $1,663,861 | - | - |
| 3 | $1,567,007 | $1,645,357 | $1,723,707 | $1,802,057 | - |
| 4 | $1,621,415 | $1,702,486 | $1,783,557 | $1,864,628 | $1,945,700 |
| 5 | $1,757,429 | $1,845,301 | $1,933,172 | $2,021,044 | $2,108,915 |
| 6 | $1,893,447 | $1,988,119 | $2,082,790 | $2,177,462 | $2,272,134 |
| 7 | $2,029,463 | $2,130,936 | $2,232,410 | $2,333,883 | $2,435,356 |
| 8 | $2,165,481 | $2,273,755 | $2,382,030 | $2,490,305 | $2,598,579 |
| 9 | $2,176,260 | $2,285,073 | $2,393,886 | $2,502,699 | $2,611,513 |
| 10 | $2,393,887 | $2,513,582 | $2,633,277 | $2,752,971 | $2,872,666 |
| 0 | $898,310 | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | $1,445,697 | $1,517,981 | - | - | - |
| 2 | $1,620,564 | $1,701,593 | $1,782,621 | - | - |
| 3 | $1,678,854 | $1,762,796 | $1,846,738 | $1,930,681 | - |
| 4 | $1,737,145 | $1,824,003 | $1,910,860 | $1,997,718 | $2,084,576 |
| 5 | $1,882,867 | $1,977,011 | $2,071,154 | $2,165,298 | $2,259,441 |
| 6 | $2,028,594 | $2,130,023 | $2,231,451 | $2,332,880 | $2,434,310 |
| 7 | $2,174,318 | $2,283,034 | $2,391,750 | $2,500,466 | $2,609,182 |
| 8 | $2,320,044 | $2,436,046 | $2,552,050 | $2,668,053 | $2,784,055 |
| 9 | $2,331,593 | $2,448,172 | $2,564,752 | $2,681,332 | $2,797,912 |
| 10 | $2,564,753 | $2,692,991 | $2,821,230 | $2,949,467 | $3,077,705 |
| 0 | $898,310 | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | $1,445,697 | $1,517,981 | - | - | - |
| 2 | $1,620,564 | $1,701,593 | $1,782,621 | - | - |
| 3 | $1,678,854 | $1,762,796 | $1,846,738 | $1,930,681 | - |
| 4 | $1,737,145 | $1,824,003 | $1,910,860 | $1,997,718 | $2,084,576 |
| 5 | $1,882,867 | $1,977,011 | $2,071,154 | $2,165,298 | $2,259,441 |
| 6 | $2,028,594 | $2,130,023 | $2,231,451 | $2,332,880 | $2,434,310 |
| 7 | $2,174,318 | $2,283,034 | $2,391,750 | $2,500,466 | $2,609,182 |
| 8 | $2,320,044 | $2,436,046 | $2,552,050 | $2,668,053 | $2,784,055 |
| 9 | $2,331,593 | $2,448,172 | $2,564,752 | $2,681,332 | $2,797,912 |
| 10 | $2,564,753 | $2,692,991 | $2,821,230 | $2,949,467 | $3,077,705 |
| 0 | $925,258 | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | $1,489,065 | $1,563,518 | - | - | - |
| 2 | $1,669,178 | $1,752,638 | $1,836,096 | - | - |
| 3 | $1,729,217 | $1,815,677 | $1,902,137 | $1,988,598 | - |
| 4 | $1,789,256 | $1,878,720 | $1,878,720 | $2,057,646 | $2,147,109 |
| 5 | $1,939,350 | $2,036,318 | $2,133,285 | $2,230,253 | $2,327,220 |
| 6 | $2,089,448 | $2,193,920 | $2,298,390 | $2,402,862 | $2,507,335 |
| 7 | $2,239,544 | $2,351,521 | $2,463,498 | $2,575,475 | $2,687,453 |
| 8 | $2,389,641 | $2,509,123 | $2,628,607 | $2,748,090 | $2,867,572 |
| 9 | $2,401,537 | $2,521,613 | $2,641,690 | $2,761,767 | $2,881,844 |
| 10 | $2,641,691 | $2,773,776 | $2,905,862 | $3,037,946 | $3,170,031 |
| 0 | $1,017,781 | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | $1,637,966 | $1,719,864 | - | - | - |
| 2 | $1,836,090 | $1,927,896 | $2,019,699 | - | - |
| 3 | $1,902,133 | $1,997,238 | $2,092,344 | $2,187,451 | - |
| 4 | $1,968,175 | $2,066,585 | $2,066,585 | $2,263,403 | $2,361,812 |
| 5 | $2,133,278 | $2,239,943 | $2,346,606 | $2,453,270 | $2,559,934 |
| 6 | $2,298,385 | $2,413,304 | $2,528,221 | $2,643,140 | $2,758,060 |
| 7 | $2,463,490 | $2,586,665 | $2,709,839 | $2,833,013 | $2,956,189 |
| 8 | $2,628,597 | $2,760,026 | $2,891,458 | $3,022,889 | $3,154,319 |
| 9 | $2,641,682 | $2,773,765 | $2,905,850 | $3,037,934 | $3,170,018 |
| 10 | $2,905,851 | $3,051,144 | $3,196,438 | $3,341,730 | $3,487,023 |
| 0 | $1,119,563 | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | $1,801,769 | $1,891,857 | - | - | - |
| 2 | $2,019,706 | $2,120,693 | $2,221,677 | - | - |
| 3 | $2,092,354 | $2,196,970 | $2,301,587 | $2,406,205 | - |
| 4 | $2,165,000 | $2,273,252 | $2,381,501 | $2,489,752 | $2,598,003 |
| 5 | $2,346,614 | $2,463,946 | $2,581,276 | $2,698,607 | $2,815,938 |
| 6 | $2,528,233 | $2,654,644 | $2,781,053 | $2,907,465 | $3,033,877 |
| 7 | $2,709,849 | $2,845,342 | $2,980,834 | $3,116,326 | $3,251,820 |
| 8 | $2,891,467 | $3,036,040 | $3,180,615 | $3,325,190 | $3,469,764 |
| 9 | $2,905,861 | $3,051,153 | $3,196,447 | $3,341,740 | $3,487,033 |
| 10 | $3,196,448 | $3,356,271 | $3,516,095 | $3,675,917 | $3,835,739 |
| 0 | $1,157,153 | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | $1,862,265 | $1,955,377 | - | - | - |
| 2 | $2,087,519 | $2,191,897 | $2,296,271 | - | - |
| 3 | $2,162,606 | $2,270,735 | $2,378,864 | $2,486,995 | - |
| 4 | $2,237,691 | $2,349,578 | $2,461,462 | $2,573,347 | $2,685,233 |
| 5 | $2,425,403 | $2,546,675 | $2,667,944 | $2,789,215 | $2,910,485 |
| 6 | $2,613,120 | $2,743,776 | $2,874,429 | $3,005,085 | $3,135,742 |
| 7 | $2,800,834 | $2,940,876 | $3,080,918 | $3,220,959 | $3,361,002 |
| 8 | $2,988,550 | $3,137,977 | $3,287,406 | $3,436,836 | $3,586,264 |
| 9 | $3,003,427 | $3,153,598 | $3,303,770 | $3,453,941 | $3,604,113 |
| 10 | $3,303,771 | $3,468,960 | $3,634,150 | $3,799,338 | $3,964,527 |
| 0 | $1,272,868 | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | $2,048,492 | $2,150,915 | - | - | - |
| 2 | $2,296,271 | $2,411,087 | $2,525,898 | - | - |
| 3 | $2,378,867 | $2,497,809 | $2,616,750 | $2,735,695 | - |
| 4 | $2,461,460 | $2,584,536 | $2,707,608 | $2,830,682 | $2,953,756 |
| 5 | $2,667,943 | $2,801,343 | $2,934,738 | $3,068,137 | $3,201,534 |
| 6 | $2,874,432 | $3,018,154 | $3,161,872 | $3,305,594 | $3,449,316 |
| 7 | $3,080,917 | $3,234,964 | $3,389,010 | $3,543,055 | $3,697,102 |
| 8 | $3,287,405 | $3,451,775 | $3,616,147 | $3,780,520 | $3,944,890 |
| 9 | $3,303,770 | $3,468,958 | $3,634,147 | $3,799,335 | $3,964,524 |
| 10 | $3,634,148 | $3,815,856 | $3,997,565 | $4,179,272 | $4,360,980 |
| 0 | $1,371,982 | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | $2,208,001 | $2,318,400 | - | - | - |
| 2 | $2,475,074 | $2,598,830 | $2,722,581 | - | - |
| 3 | $2,564,101 | $2,692,305 | $2,820,508 | $2,948,714 | - |
| 4 | $2,653,126 | $2,785,785 | $2,918,440 | $3,051,098 | $3,183,755 |
| 5 | $2,875,687 | $3,019,474 | $3,163,256 | $3,307,043 | $3,450,827 |
| 6 | $3,098,254 | $3,253,168 | $3,408,076 | $3,562,990 | $3,717,903 |
| 7 | $3,320,818 | $3,486,860 | $3,652,901 | $3,818,941 | $3,984,983 |
| 8 | $3,543,384 | $3,720,553 | $3,897,724 | $4,074,897 | $4,252,065 |
| 9 | $3,561,024 | $3,739,074 | $3,917,126 | $4,095,177 | $4,273,228 |
| 10 | $3,917,127 | $4,112,984 | $4,308,842 | $4,504,698 | $4,700,555 |
| 0 | $1,478,814 | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | $2,379,931 | $2,498,926 | - | - | - |
| 2 | $2,667,800 | $2,801,192 | $2,934,579 | - | - |
| 3 | $2,763,759 | $2,901,946 | $3,040,132 | $3,178,321 | - |
| 4 | $2,859,716 | $3,002,705 | $3,145,689 | $3,288,677 | $3,431,663 |
| 5 | $3,099,607 | $3,254,590 | $3,409,568 | $3,564,551 | $3,719,531 |
| 6 | $3,339,505 | $3,506,481 | $3,673,452 | $3,840,428 | $4,007,404 |
| 7 | $3,579,399 | $3,758,370 | $3,937,340 | $4,116,309 | $4,295,280 |
| 8 | $3,819,296 | $4,010,260 | $4,201,227 | $4,392,196 | $4,583,159 |
| 9 | $3,838,309 | $4,030,223 | $4,222,140 | $4,414,055 | $4,605,970 |
| 10 | $4,222,141 | $4,433,248 | $4,644,357 | $4,855,464 | $5,066,572 |
| 0 | $1,593,964 | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | $2,565,248 | $2,693,509 | - | - | - |
| 2 | $2,875,533 | $3,019,311 | $3,163,085 | - | - |
| 3 | $2,978,964 | $3,127,911 | $3,276,857 | $3,425,806 | - |
| 4 | $3,082,393 | $3,236,516 | $3,390,633 | $3,544,755 | $3,698,875 |
| 5 | $3,340,963 | $3,508,014 | $3,675,060 | $3,842,111 | $4,009,158 |
| 6 | $3,599,541 | $3,779,519 | $3,959,491 | $4,139,469 | $4,319,447 |
| 7 | $3,858,115 | $4,051,022 | $4,243,928 | $4,436,832 | $4,629,739 |
| 8 | $4,116,692 | $4,322,526 | $4,528,363 | $4,734,202 | $4,940,034 |
| 9 | $4,137,185 | $4,344,043 | $4,550,904 | $4,757,763 | $4,964,622 |
| 10 | $4,550,905 | $4,778,450 | $5,005,998 | $5,233,543 | $5,461,089 |
| 0 | $1,718,081 | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | $2,764,995 | $2,903,244 | - | - | - |
| 2 | $3,099,441 | $3,254,415 | $3,409,384 | - | - |
| 3 | $3,210,926 | $3,371,471 | $3,532,015 | $3,692,562 | - |
| 4 | $3,322,409 | $3,488,533 | $3,654,650 | $3,820,773 | $3,986,894 |
| 5 | $3,601,113 | $3,781,171 | $3,961,225 | $4,141,283 | $4,321,338 |
| 6 | $3,879,825 | $4,073,818 | $4,267,803 | $4,461,796 | $4,655,788 |
| 7 | $4,158,534 | $4,366,462 | $4,574,389 | $4,782,313 | $4,990,241 |
| 8 | $4,437,245 | $4,659,107 | $4,880,972 | $5,102,839 | $5,324,698 |
| 9 | $4,459,334 | $4,682,299 | $4,905,268 | $5,128,234 | $5,351,201 |
| 10 | $4,905,269 | $5,150,532 | $5,395,798 | $5,641,062 | $5,886,326 |
| 0 | $1,851,862 | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | $2,980,296 | $3,129,310 | - | - | - |
| 2 | $3,340,784 | $3,507,825 | $3,674,861 | - | - |
| 3 | $3,460,950 | $3,633,996 | $3,807,041 | $3,980,090 | - |
| 4 | $3,581,114 | $3,760,173 | $3,939,225 | $4,118,284 | $4,297,340 |
| 5 | $3,881,520 | $4,075,598 | $4,269,672 | $4,463,751 | $4,657,826 |
| 6 | $4,181,934 | $4,391,033 | $4,600,123 | $4,809,221 | $5,018,319 |
| 7 | $4,482,345 | $4,706,464 | $4,930,581 | $5,154,696 | $5,378,814 |
| 8 | $4,782,758 | $5,021,896 | $5,261,037 | $5,500,180 | $5,739,315 |
| 9 | $4,806,567 | $5,046,894 | $5,287,225 | $5,527,553 | $5,767,881 |
| 10 | $5,287,226 | $5,551,587 | $5,815,951 | $6,080,313 | $6,344,675 |
Why does a player have a lower cap hit than their salary?
To discourage teams from only signing players with limited experience and avoiding veterans, for contracts one year in length, the NBA will reimburse teams by the difference of the players salary and a player with 2 years of experience. The cap hit is less than the players salary because the team only takes a cap hit charge on the salary that they are paying
For example, if a team were to sign a player with 7 years of service to a one year contract during the 2024-25 season, their salary would be $2,800,834, but their cap hit would be $2,087,519
For example, if a team were to sign a player with 7 years of service to a one year contract during the 2024-25 season, their salary would be $2,800,834, but their cap hit would be $2,087,519
Can contracts be signed below the minimum salary?
Two-way contracts have a special set of rules and do not meet the minimum salary requirements
Can minimum salary contracts include bonuses?
Minimum salary contracts are not permitted to have bonuses of any kind.
CBA Excerpt: "Every Contract entered into between a player and Team that is intended to provide for Compensation equal to the Minimum Player Salary (with no bonuses of any kind) for each Season must contain the following sentence in Exhibit 1A of such Contract and shall be deemed amended in the manner described in such sentence: “This Contract is intended to provide for a Base Compensation for the ____________ Season(s) equal to the Minimum Player Salary for such Season(s) (with no bonuses of any kind) and shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to so provide.”" 2017 CBA §6 (f)
(However, this does not apply to trade compensation or an Exhibit 10 bonus)
CBA Excerpt: "Every Contract entered into between a player and Team that is intended to provide for Compensation equal to the Minimum Player Salary (with no bonuses of any kind) for each Season must contain the following sentence in Exhibit 1A of such Contract and shall be deemed amended in the manner described in such sentence: “This Contract is intended to provide for a Base Compensation for the ____________ Season(s) equal to the Minimum Player Salary for such Season(s) (with no bonuses of any kind) and shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to so provide.”" 2017 CBA §6 (f)
(However, this does not apply to trade compensation or an Exhibit 10 bonus)
How are late signings pro-rated?
After the start of the season, the salary paid to the player is reduced and prorated based on the number days left in the season (e.g. the exception would reduce in value each day by 1/177 after the beginning of the season for a season that is 177 days in length)
What is the minimum salary exception?
The minimum salary exception permits teams to sign players to, or trade for players on minimum salary contracts when they are above the salary cap. There is no limit to the number of contracts that can use the minimum salary exception
Contracts signed using the minimum salary exception have the following requirements:
Contracts signed using the minimum salary exception have the following requirements:
- A length of 1-2 years
- No bonuses
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