This year’s NBA offseason has easily been one of the most interesting in a long time. With the Second Apron rule now in full effect, a lot of teams are scrambling to clear cap space just so they can hold on to their core players. The rule is part of the league’s effort to create more parity—and it’s definitely shaking things up.
At its core, the Second Apron rule penalizes teams that spend well beyond the salary cap. If a team goes over this second threshold, they face a bunch of restrictions: they can’t include more than one player in a trade, they can’t send cash in deals, they lose access to the mid-level exception (which is key for signing solid role players), and worst of all, if they stay above the Second Apron for 3 out of 5 seasons, they lose future first-round draft picks. Yeah, it’s serious. Basically, the league is trying to make it harder for teams to build long-lasting dynasties and give smaller-market or rebuilding teams a chance to compete.
Now, most teams don’t need to worry too much about this rule. But the ones that do? They’ve been busy. We’ve seen All-Stars and even champions get traded this offseason—not for other stars or picks, but for... well, let’s be honest, mostly for role players or guys who probably won’t even crack the rotation. There’s really no better way to put it: some of these guys were traded for what fans would call straight-up bums.
It might sound harsh, but it’s the reality of the new system. Contending teams are being forced to break themselves up or dump salary just to stay within the new limits. And as painful as it might be for fans of big-spending teams, it does make the league more unpredictable—and probably more exciting. We’re seeing big names moved not because they can’t play anymore, but because the math just doesn’t work under the new CBA.
Deandre Ayton, 6'10, Center
Ayton is an interesting case. This is a guy who was a starter on a team that made the Finals, but right after the Suns lost that year, he was the first one they looked to move. People were saying he’s soft, inconsistent, and just not a good teammate.
Ayton's journey has been kinda wild. He was part of a buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers just two seasons after getting traded there from Phoenix. And don’t forget—he was traded just a year after signing a max offer sheet with the Pacers (which the Suns ended up matching). After clearing waivers, Deandre signed a 2-year, $16.6 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he'll team up with Luka and hopefully LeBron.
Myles Turner, 6'11, Center
Myles Turner... This guy had 6 points in game 7 of the finals, so I mean maybe the Pacers losing him was a good thing, but... we shall see.
All i was thinking about when the Pacers lost game seven was "where is Myles going" and i gotta say i did not expect the bucks to be the team to land him, but with the Bucks losing Brook Lopez i think Myles is a great replacement, but Giannis and Myles alone arent the anwser to another championship. Myles signed a 4-year $107 million deal, which is a great price for both the Bucks and Turner, but in signing Turner, Milwaukee had to waive Damian Lillard, Which Reportedly Giannis doesn't like very much. So once again... WE SHALL SEE.
Cam Johnson, 6'8, Forward &. Michael Porter JR,6'10,Forward
Cam Johnson's come a long way from being a inconsistent rookie In Phoenix to being Option 1 or 2 in Brooklyn. Micheal Porter Jr is just straight buckets.
This trade came as a surprise to many. It's been a few years since the Nuggets won their ring, but Michael Porter Jr is still a young champion, and after a hard first few years, he's blossomed into a great automatic Scorer, but thats about it, Porter is kinda a liability on defense and as everyone knows this guy does not pass the ball unless he absolutely has to. Cam Johnson is just about everything the Nuggets need to help them make deep runs in the West. He's a great switch defender, and many believe he is a more effective shooter than Porter Jr. It's gonna be fun to see Jokic and Cam this next season.
LeBron James, 6'8, Forward
What can be said about his time in LA that hasn't already been said? 1 ring, a couple of first round exits, play-in losses. Its been kinda demoralizing if your a Laker fan.
Since the start of the offseason, there’s been a lot of speculation about what LeBron was going to do. He ended up signing a two-year extension with the Lakers, and at first, that made it seem like, “Well damn, he’s staying in L.A. for a couple more years.” But recently, LeBron said he wants to be somewhere that’s ready to make a real push for the Finals. And let’s be real—even with DeAndre Ayton, not too many teams are losing sleep over the Lakers right now.
The tricky part is, wherever LeBron goes, that team’s probably going to have to give up good young players to get him. And that’s a real problem if you’re a GM, because at this point in LeBron’s career, it’s hard to say for sure that he can still carry a team to a championship at 40.
Now, yes, it's a little Early to say that 100% these players are leaving or joining teams because Teams can't officially give and sign the Contracts till July 6th, and Free Agency doesn't officially end until Early October. With what has been happening during the short time Free Agency has officially opened, we are in for a very entertaining rest of the offseason.
Landon Neilson,
2025.
Add comment
Comments