Can you frontload an MLE?

[BRIGGS]

thanks

[bgwizarfan]

sure - but the 1st year can't be more than the full Mid-Level Exception amount.

So if the MLE is $5 million and a player gets a 3 year deal that goes $5 million, $5.4 million, $5.8 million, that CANNOT be switched (so he can't get $5.8 million in the 1st year -- he can't receive more than $5 million in the 1st year). But a player can certainly get the $5 million in the 1st year, then $4.6 in the 2nd year, and and $4.2 in the 3rd year, and that's technically a frontloading contract.

[GrandAdmiralDan]

It depends on what one considers "frontloading" but another thing you can do is give the player up to 80% of their salary each year up front. Only 20% of your salary is required to be paid on regular league paydays.