The NBA is "awash in cash, and free agency next month will be more lucrative than even the sunniest earlier projections," with the salary cap now expected to reach $94M, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. A memo sent to teams on Friday showed the projection, which is up from $70M for the '15-16 season. Projections in April had the cap at $92M for next season, and last year the number was projected to be $89M. Depending on other moves, it means the Celtics "could have as much" as $53M in cap space, with the Knicks and Lakers "having the capability to reach" more than $30M each. The bump means players with 10 years or more of experience -- such as Cavaliers F LeBron James -- who "sign new max contracts" will earn $30.8M to start. To "put that in perspective, in league history, only two players have earned" $30M in a season: Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. The new luxury-tax line is projected to be $113M, which would "be the highest payroll in NBA history." The influx of money is "mostly from the start of the NBA's new television rights deals" with ESPN and Turner Sports, which are worth $24B over the next nine years (ESPN.com, 6/17). USA TODAY's Jeff Zillgitt noted while the "tiny bump won’t alter free-agent plans for most teams, it does give teams a little more money to spend this summer, and it illustrates the growing pie of basketball-related income that is split between the league and its players." The salary cap and luxury tax is "expected to jump" to close to $110M and $127M, respectively, for the '17-18 season (USATODAY.com, 6/18).
