Report: $1.4 billion in salary given on first day of NBA free agency
NBA players received $1.4 billion in salary on the first day of free agency on Wednesday, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Those first-day figures are without LeBron James, LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre Jordan, and Dwyane Wade, who have yet to agree to new contracts. James and Wade opted out of the final year of their deals, while Aldridge and Jordan just finished the last year of their previous contracts.
Two players received over $100 million in compensation during the first day, led by Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, who reportedly agreed to a five-year extension that could be worth more than $120 million and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love, who re-upped for five years and $110 million.
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Next year’s free-agent bonanza could net even bigger numbers as the NBA’s new nine-year, $24 billion television rights deal will take effect and could push the salary cap for the 2015-16 season to an estimated $90 million.
There other players (Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic) received five-year deals worth $90 million during the first hours of free agency.
No deals can’t be signed until July 9, when the league’s salary cap for next season is set and the moratorium is lifted.
• MORE NBA: Free agent tracker | Top 25 FAs | Storylines | Position rankings
Others who will sign five-year deals include Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green ($85 million), Phoenix Suns guard Brandon Knight ($70 million) and Milwaukee Bucks guard Khris Middleton ($70).
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