Salary Floor Query

[Monky15]

Was after some confirmation or clarification on the salary floor.

I'm under the impression that if a team does not meet the floor then whatever the difference is between the 2 figures, say 23M is spread amongst the players on the roster, lets say 15 players, to give them all about 1.5M?

Not sure if its an even spread or scaled comparatively to other players on the roster, IE if a players salary is 20% of the teams total salary but the team does not make the floor, then does that player get 20% of the remaining floor salary?, IE 4.6M which is 20% of 23M.

It seems like a good way to make your team more attractive to players on rookie deals so they can get paid significantly higher than their salary is scaled for. A player could theoretically go from a 2M salary to 3.5M after receiving a "Floor Payment".

Makes me think that at least Philly is doing right by their rookies by not adding salary for players that won't contribute, because that would take some money out of the hands of the players that are.

[DBoys]

1 Players' Association gets to decide the methodology of how the makeup salary is to be divided.
2 Philly only owes its players according to the contract, so players aren't owed a bonus like this. If it happens, it's extra.
3 The solution might be done in a different way than an after-year bonus, that is more to the benefit of the team's bottom line. Players may not get a dime extra, after it's all over.
4 For example, Philly might absorb contracts at the deadline, to help one or more teams reduce tax, in exchange for benefits like draft picks or cash.
5 Even though adding an extra contract, Philly would actually save money by such a move, because the face amount of the contract would count in full toward minimum team salary, while Philly would only have to make payment to the player of the last 2 months or less of salary.
6 The Sixers could also trade for a player and then negotiate a buyout of the remainder due at a reduced amount, saving even more.

[Monky15]

Surely the money that is divided up would go to the players on the team though?

I get that its not worked out until after the season is finished.

[DBoys]

Surely the money that is divided up would go to the players on the team though?

I get that its not worked out until after the season is finished.

Yes, if there is makeup money to be divided, it gets divided among the team.

[Smitty731]

Surely the money that is divided up would go to the players on the team though?

I get that its not worked out until after the season is finished.

Yes, if there is makeup money to be divided, it gets divided among the team.

It gets divided up amongst all player who played for the team that year, right? Not just the players who finish the year on the roster. Or I guess I should say, it can be divided up that way.

[DBoys]

It gets divided up amongst all player who played for the team that year, right? Not just the players who finish the year on the roster. Or I guess I should say, it can be divided up that way.

It looks like it would be limited to players who are on the team "as of the start of the Team’s last Regular Season" with the money being paid in late summer. The CBA only deals with it briefly, and specifies it this way:

In the event that a Team’s Team Salary for a Salary Cap Year as of the start of the Team’s last Regular Season game of that Salary Cap Year is less than the applicable Minimum Team Salary for that Salary Cap Year, the NBA shall cause such Team to make payments equal to the shortfall (to be disbursed to the players on such Team pro rata or in accordance with such other formula as may be reasonably determined by the Players Association). The Players Association shall provide the NBA with its proposed distribution of any such shortfall within thirty (30) days after the completion of the Audit Report for such Salary Cap Year.

[Smitty731]

It looks like it would be limited to players who are on the team "as of the start of the Team’s last Regular Season" with the money being paid in late summer. The CBA only deals with it briefly, and specifies it this way:

In the event that a Team’s Team Salary for a Salary Cap Year as of the start of the Team’s last Regular Season game of that Salary Cap Year is less than the applicable Minimum Team Salary for that Salary Cap Year, the NBA shall cause such Team to make payments equal to the shortfall (to be disbursed to the players on such Team pro rata or in accordance with such other formula as may be reasonably determined by the Players Association). The Players Association shall provide the NBA with its proposed distribution of any such shortfall within thirty (30) days after the completion of the Audit Report for such Salary Cap Year.

It seems funny for something that we (and the media) make such a big deal about, there seems to be very little real concern from the league or NBAPA about it. If that is the only blurb on it, I guess they basically just leave it to "If it happens, we'll figure it out.".

[Monky15]

The team is going to be paying out the minimum amount of salary no matter what.

I just like the thought of a guy like MCW who is producing above his level of compensation potentially getting a nice bonus at the end of the season.

[DBoys]

The team is going to be paying out the minimum amount of salary no matter what.

Not necessarily. Deadline deals that add salary reduce the amount the team has to pay by a large amount, giving strong motivation to solve the "problem" in that fashion rather than via bonuses. What matters is the Team Salary, not the amount paid.

As a purely theoretical exercise, I think you could devise a plan where this season a team could pay as little as $23-ishM in actual salary (rather than 56.759), while still meeting the min salary rules and avoiding any summer makeup bonuses.