Max Cap Room
$15.7 million

$8.8 million Room Mid-Level Exception

Potential Free Agents​​

• Zion Williamson ($39.4 million non-guaranteed salary)

• Bruce Brown ($29.3 million cap hold, Early Bird Rights, Unrestricted)

• Jeremiah Robinson-Earl ($2.2 million cap hold, Early Bird Rights, Unrestricted)

• Antonio Reaves ($2 million non-guaranteed salary)

• Brandon Boston, Jr. ($2.3 million team option, Non-Bird Rights, Unrestricted)

• Elfrid Payton ($2.3 million team option, Non-Bird Rights, Unrestricted)

Summary

The Pelicans could only really create cap room if they waive Williamson's non-guaranteed salary, which is very unlikely. Therefore, the Pelicans will likely be operating over the cap.

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If Williamson is retained, the Pelicans will be $8 million below the luxury tax, $16 million below the first apron, and $28 million below the second apron with 12 players under contract.

 

The Pelicans could have the full $14.1 million Non-Taxpayer MLE and the $5.1 million Bi-Annual Exception to add talent if they can remain below the first apron, but that looks unlikely barring any significant trades. Otherwise, they may just have the $5.7 million Taxpayer MLE to add talent and stay below the 2nd apron.

Potential Free Agency Targets
Bigs

• Myles Turner

• Brook Lopez

• Clint Capela

​Depth

• Jericho Sims

• Al Horford

• Bojan Bogdanovic

Secondary creation

• Malcolm Brogdon

• Bruce Brown

• Tyus Jones