RealGM Wolves Capology

[Klomp]

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[shrink]

2025-26

Salary Cap: $154,647,000
Luxury Tax Threshold: $187,897,000
First Apron: $195,946,000
Second Apron: $207,825,000
Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (NTMLE): $14,104,000
Room Mid-Level Exception (Room MLE): $8,781,000
Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (Tax MLE): $5,685,000
Veteran Minimum Exception (2 year): $2,296,274

(I just wanted to put this someplace handy)

[shrink]

https://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/MIN.html

Using BBRef, MIN has a payroll of $192,331,959. Add in the #17 pick, ($3.5 x 120%) =$4.2 mil so $196.53 for 14 players.

Possible changes:
Randle rejects $30.9 Player Option. New deal?
Naz Reid rejects $15 mil Player Option. New deal?
Nickiel Alexander Walker. New deal?
Another vet min ($2.3) to roster 15?
[Garza ($2.35) or Minott ($2.19) might be replaced with other vet min, but since that’s close to vet min, I’m skipping]

So if I remove $45.9 from $196.5, our payroll is $150.6 without Randle, Naz, or NAW. We can pay the three up to ..

Luxury Tax Threshold: $187.9-$150.6=$37.3. (Randle $30 + NAW $7 maybe?)
First Apron: $196-$150.6=$45.4 (Randle $30 + Naz $15 maybe?)
Second Apron: $207.8-$150.6=$57.2. (Randle $30 + Naz $18 + NAW $9)

I think the first two would really be asking players to take a cut back in their salaries to stay. I would hope new ownership is willing to pay up to the second apron and keep the team together, considering two straight WCF visits, and maybe more!

[younggunsmn]

Updated for Naz extension:

2025-2026 (6/27/25)
Edwards 45,550,512
Gobert 35,000,000
McDaniels 24,393,103
Reid 21,551,724
Divencenzo 11,990,000
Conley 10,774,038
Dillingham 6,576,120
Beringer 4,201,080
Shannon 2,674,080
Garza 2,349,578
Miller 2,221,677
Clark 2,191,897
Minott 2,187,699 (fully guaranteed at 5 PM on 6/28/25)
Vet min 2,296,271
Total 173,957,779


Player Options
Randle 30,935,520

Free Agents
Alexander-Walker
Ingles

2-way contracts:
Rocco Zikarsky (according to Dane Moore)

10% Cap Bump scenario
Luxury tax line: 187,895,400
!st Apron line: 195,946,000
2nd Apron line: 207,824,100

tax line space: 13,937,621
1st Apron line: 21,988,221
2nd apron space: 33,866,321

[younggunsmn]

Cap situation if Julius Randle exercises his player option:
2025-2026 (6/27/25)
Edwards 45,550,512
Gobert 35,000,000
Randle 30.935,520
McDaniels 24,393,103
Reid 21,551,724
Divencenzo 11,990,000
Conley 10,774,038
Dillingham 6,576,120
Beringer 4,201,080
Shannon 2,674,080
Garza 2,349,578
Miller 2,221,677
Clark 2,191,897
Minott 2,187,699 (fully guaranteed at 5 PM on 6/28/25)
Total 202,597,026

10% Cap Bump scenario
Luxury tax line: 187,895,400
!st Apron line: 195,946,000
2nd Apron line: 207,824,100

tax line space: -14,701,626
1st Apron line: -6,651,026
2nd apron space: 5,227,074

[younggunsmn]

If Julius Randle leaves for nothing we will have the full MLE to use and if we use it we will be hardcapped at the first apron but have plenty of room under it.
We would be 16,233,892 under the luxury tax line (13,937,621 plus the 2,296,271 placeholder for the 14th roster spot).
Just enough for the full MLE and 2 or 3 months worth of emergency 10 day contracts.
Perhaps this was a consideration when formulating the parameters of the Naz Reid extension.

If we don't get a full 10% cap bump though it blows this completely up.

[younggunsmn]

Tax Penalties on 14,701,626

The tax rates increase at each bracket of 5,684,800
Bracket 1 (1.5/1): 8,527,200
Bracket 2 (1.75/1): 9,948,400
Bracket 3 (2.5/1) (remaining 3,332,026) : 8,330,065

Total: 26,805,665

A lot less than the 90 million from last year but still a lot of money.

[TimberKat]

What is the updated CAP with Randle's contract? Assuming it's close to Randle opt in. Did we pickup Garza and Minott's contract? Assuming we could drop Garza, Minott and Miller. I think we got about 9M to sign NAW, although the roster would be unbalance but maybe sign Garza to vet min?

[younggunsmn]

What is the updated CAP with Randle's contract? Assuming it's close to Randle opt in. Did we pickup Garza and Minott's contract? Assuming we could drop Garza, Minott and Miller. I think we got about 9M to sign NAW, although the roster would be unbalance but maybe sign Garza to vet min?

Within 100k of the post up a couple spots. About 5 million below the 2nd apron and at 14.7 mil in luxury tax.

Minott is fully guaranteed now not sure about Garza yet.
Garzas already basically on a vet min.

If we were able to cut Garza for nothing we could maybe sign NAW for up to 7 million before triggering the 2nd apron, at an additional 13-15 million in luxury tax. That's not gonna cut it.
We could still potentially use the 5.7 mil taxpayer MLE if we cut Garza.
But I dont think thats gonna happen.

[younggunsmn]

6/29/25 Post Randle signing and Minott and Garza being waived:

2025-2026 (6/27/25)
Edwards 45,550,512
Gobert 35,000,000
Randle 30,864,198
McDaniels 24,393,103
Reid 21,551,724
Divencenzo 11,990,000
Conley 10,774,038
Dillingham 6,576,120
Beringer 4,201,080
Shannon 2,674,080
Miller 2,221,677
Clark 2,191,897
Total 197,988,429

Placeholders:
13 Vet Min 2,296,271
14 Vet Min 2,296,271

2-way Rocco Zikarsky

10% Cap Bump scenario
Luxury tax line: 187,895,400
!st Apron line: 195,946,000
2nd Apron line: 207,824,100

tax line space: -10,093,029
1st Apron line: -2,042,429
2nd apron space: 9,835,671

We will be adding a minimum of 4,592,542 filling the last 2 roster spots,
unless we sign Rocco Zikarsky or another first year player to a minimum contract
in which case it would save another million or so.

[TimberKat]

What is the updated CAP with Randle's contract? Assuming it's close to Randle opt in. Did we pickup Garza and Minott's contract? Assuming we could drop Garza, Minott and Miller. I think we got about 9M to sign NAW, although the roster would be unbalance but maybe sign Garza to vet min?

Within 100k of the post up a couple spots. About 5 million below the 2nd apron and at 14.7 mil in luxury tax.

Minott is fully guaranteed now not sure about Garza yet.
Garzas already basically on a vet min.

If we were able to cut Garza for nothing we could maybe sign NAW for up to 7 million before triggering the 2nd apron, at an additional 13-15 million in luxury tax. That's not gonna cut it.
We could still potentially use the 5.7 mil taxpayer MLE if we cut Garza.
But I dont think thats gonna happen.

Now Garza and Minott are gone. How about if we trade Miller+2nd to another team to free up his salary. Assume we use two rookie mins (instead of vet min), How much salary slot do we have remained?

[younggunsmn]

What is the updated CAP with Randle's contract? Assuming it's close to Randle opt in. Did we pickup Garza and Minott's contract? Assuming we could drop Garza, Minott and Miller. I think we got about 9M to sign NAW, although the roster would be unbalance but maybe sign Garza to vet min?

Within 100k of the post up a couple spots. About 5 million below the 2nd apron and at 14.7 mil in luxury tax.

Minott is fully guaranteed now not sure about Garza yet.
Garzas already basically on a vet min.

If we were able to cut Garza for nothing we could maybe sign NAW for up to 7 million before triggering the 2nd apron, at an additional 13-15 million in luxury tax. That's not gonna cut it.
We could still potentially use the 5.7 mil taxpayer MLE if we cut Garza.
But I dont think thats gonna happen.

Now Garza and Minott are gone. How about if we trade Miller+2nd to another team to free up his salary. Assume we use two rookie mins (instead of vet min), How much salary slot do we have remained?

Rookie min is 1,272,868.
You would save about 950k over Miller.
And you would have to find and like a qualifying 1st year player.
Not really worth it.

If we signed Zikarsky to a hinkie starting at 1,272,868, we would be about 8.5 mil below the 2nd apron before filling that final spot.

[younggunsmn]

Correction.

I'm not including the unlikely incentives for Jaden and DDV, which are counted against the apron but not the cap.
That would lower our amount by about 1.68 million.

So our current room below the 2nd apron is actually about 8.1 million.

Or just enough to sign a vet min and use the full taxpayer MLE.

[shrink]

For me, it’s been like fingernails on a blackboard when I hear all the podcasters keep saying we have, say, $8 mil in CAP SPACE under the second apron.

There is only one cap, and it’s the salary cap. We have not had cap space for a decade. There are very specific things the CBA allows you to do with cap space, that you can’t do when you are above the salary cap.

Sorry, I just had to vent!

[Klomp]

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[younggunsmn]

Draft Pick cheat sheet:

Green - Ours
Blue - Protected or a swap, conveyance uncertain
Red - Traded Away, Gone

2026
1st - MN (Uah has swap rights 1-8, If Utah picks 9-30, Utah's pick goes to OKC and swap rights are extinguished). (Gobert trade)
2nd - MN to Boston or Washington (Ed Davis trade 2020)
2nd - Less favorable of GSW, DEN to MIN (31 for 36 tradedown 2025)
2nd - worst of MIA, SAS, IND (from 48th pick 2022)

2027
1st - MIN to Utah (Gobert trade)
2nd - MIN to POR (Wendell Moore trade up 2022)
2nd - CLE to MIN (NAW Sign and trade)

2028
1st - MIN
2nd - MIN to SAS (Leonard Miller #33 2023)

2029
1st - MIN to Utah (top 5 protected) (Gobert trade)
2nd - MIN (to Utah if Minnesota's 1st round pick lands inside the top 5) (Gobert trade)

2030
1st - MIN (SAS have swap rights) (Dillingham)
2nd - MIN - to DET (Monte Morris)
2nd - MEM (top 50 protected) (Wendell Moore salary dump trade downs)

2031
1st - MIN to SAS (Dillingham)
2nd - MIN (better of MIN/GSW) (Kyle Anderson S+T)

2032
1st - MIN
2nd - MIN
2nd - better of HOU/PHX (31 for 36 tradedown 2025)

[younggunsmn]

Draft Pick cheat sheet: Only picks that we own or potentially could own.

Green - Ours
Blue - Protected or a swap, conveyance uncertain


2026
1st - MN (Uah has swap rights 1-8, If Utah picks 9-30, Utah's pick goes to OKC and swap rights are extinguished). (Gobert trade)
2nd - Less favorable of GSW, DEN to MIN (31 for 36 tradedown 2025)
2nd - worst of MIA, SAS, IND (from 48th pick 2022)

2027
2nd - CLE to MIN (NAW Sign and trade)

2028
1st - MIN

2029
1st - MIN to Utah (top 5 protected) (Gobert trade)
2nd - MIN (to Utah if Minnesota's 1st round pick lands inside the top 5) (Gobert trade)

2030
1st - MIN (SAS have swap rights) (Dillingham)
2nd - MEM (top 50 protected) (Wendell Moore salary dump trade downs)

2031
2nd - MIN (better of MIN/GSW) (Kyle Anderson S+T)

2032
1st - MIN
2nd - MIN
2nd - better of HOU/PHX (31 for 36 tradedown 2025)

[Klomp]

Dane Moore offered clarification on the status of the new players.

Enrique Freeman is the third two-way contract, taking the place of Jesse Edwards. He joins Tristen Newton and draft pick Rocco Zikarsky. They will move between the Timberwolves and Iowa.

Johnny Juzang is on a Exhibit 9 contract. This is essentially a training camp deal, but likely not a situation where he would be assigned to Iowa after training camp.

Here's a decent breakdown from Spotrac (written before 2023-24 season, so dates might be slightly different):
Exhibit 9 and Exhibit 10 contracts are commonly referred to as “summer contracts” or “training camp contracts”. These players are being brought in to provide competition in training camp, to give coaches some extra bodies for drills and scrimmages, and sometimes to prove they are worthy of a regular season roster spot.

Both Exhibit 9 and Exhibit 10 contracts are one-year, fully non-guaranteed contracts. (A team could technically sign a player who was from another team, or from outside of the NBA, to a four-year, maximum contract on a summer contract (not an Exhibit 9 or Exhibit 10 deal), but that’s never happened and will likely never happen for many reasons.) In addition, they do not count against the salary cap or the luxury tax. They are very much “make good” deals in every sense of the word.

If a player proves worthy of sticking around, teams have a few options. We’ll cover the uniqueness of an Exhibit 10 contract in a moment, because it has some different parameters around it.

If a team wants to keep a player on an Exhibit 9 deal, the simplest process is to keep them on the roster for opening night. At that point, the player’s contract converts from an Exhibit 9 contract to a standard non-guaranteed contract. It begins to count against the salary cap and the luxury tax, just like any other standard contract. If the team wants to guarantee the deal, they can do so at any time. Otherwise, the contract will become fully guaranteed on the league-wide guarantee date of January 10. (In reality, contracts become fully guaranteed on January 7, because players have to clear waivers by January 10 to avoid their deals becoming fully guaranteed. Thus, the last day to waive a player on a non-guaranteed deal is actually January 7. Aren’t date-based technicalities fun?)

If a team keeps a player from an Exhibit 9 contract for the full season, after it converts to a standard deal, that player is then a free agent following the season. If eligible, the team can issue them a qualifying offer to make the player a restricted free agent. Otherwise, they become an unrestricted free agent.

Let’s say a player looks so good that the team wants to keep them long-term. Options for a guy on an Exhibit 9 deal are somewhat limited. They can do the process above, but that only converts the deal to a one-year contract. If a team wants to risk it, they can waive the player from their Exhibit 9 deal and hope that they clear waivers. At that point, the player would be a free agent and the team can sign them to whatever type of contract they have available to them via cap space or via an exception.

https://www.spotrac.com/news/_/id/2032/explaining-exhibit-9-and-exhibit-10-contracts