Using the MLE if below the cap

[clydewally]

I understand that a team under the cap, like the Knicks next year, can not use the MLE.

But what if they renounce their own free agents, sign some free agents and some others at veteran minimums and once again exceed the cap. Could they use the MLE then (particularly to sign a renounced free agent of their own)?

Or is the rule that once you are below the cap in a given year you are unable to use the MLE in that year even if you go above the cap in that year through other mechanisms.

[Dunkenstein]

Or is the rule that once you are below the cap in a given year you are unable to use the MLE in that year even if you go above the cap in that year through other mechanisms.

Yes.

[answerthink]

As per Art VII, Sec 6(k), if a team’s team salary (including the value of any available disabled player, bi-annual, mid-level and traded player exceptions) drops below the salary cap threshold, whatever exceptions the team had would be lost and could not be recovered.

If effect, what I believe you are asking is if the Knicks would be able use cap space to sign outside free agents, then sign minimum contract players to exceed the salary cap threshold, and thereafter utilize the MLE to sign its own renounced free agents. This would not be allowed.

[clydewally]

Thanks for the responses

[drsd]

More generallyl, all such questions are answered at:


http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm



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