Spurs' Future Salary Cap Decisions Loom as Adam Silver Defends NBA's Second Apron

SAN ANTONIO — Jordan McLaughlin's return to the San Antonio Spurs won't break the bank, but it does leave them with less room to operate ahead of the 2026-27 season.

McLaughlin signed a one-year veteran minimum contract worth $3.29 million to return for his ninth NBA season and second full campaign in San Antonio. Because of the NBA's veteran minimum rules, only $2.45 million of his salary will count against the Spurs' cap.

His addition brings San Antonio to 14 standard contracts with one roster spot remaining heading into the start of training camp. David Jones Garcia, Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Maliq Brown occupy all three two-way spots, while Taelon Peter will join the Spurs on a camp deal.

Financially, San Antonio's payroll now sits at approximately $197.6 million, leaving it $2.84 million below the $200.43 million luxury-tax threshold and $11.42 million below the first apron at $209.02 million. After signing Tobias Harris to a two-year, $30,840,200 contract using the full NTPMLE, the Spurs will be hard-capped at the first apron.

That doesn't prevent them from crossing the luxury-tax threshold, however. If they use their final roster spot and move above $200.43 million, they could operate as a tax team before making a salary-cutting move ahead of the trade deadline to fall back below.

For now, San Antonio has flexibility. The larger financial questions begin next season.

May 12, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama and guard Devin Vassell (24) react during the first half of Game 5 of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Frost Bank Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Victor Wembanyama's five-year, $255.2 million extension is projected to begin at approximately $44 million in 2027-28, the same season De'Aaron Fox's salary increases from $49.49 million to $53.45 million and when Stephon Castle will enter the final year of his rookie contract, currently projected at $12.67 million.

If Castle signs a maximum rookie extension, his new deal would begin in 2028-29. Dylan Harper, who is set to make $17.17 million that season, will likely follow suit in 2029-30.

The standard maximum for a player coming off his rookie contract begins at 25 percent of the salary cap, but the Rose Rule allows qualifying players to receive up to 30 percent. MVP and Defensive Player of the Year honors are two paths to qualifying, while All-NBA selections can also trigger the escalator depending on when they are earned.

The latter could become especially relevant for Harper. An All-NBA selection at the end of the 2028-29 season, for example, could affect the value of a possible extension.

None of those contracts have been signed, and future salary-cap figures remain projections, but the possibility demonstrates how quickly San Antonio's payroll could grow. Especially in a system that underscores individual talent with financial responsibility.

Wembanyama, Castle and Harper won't be the only players on San Antonio's books. Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie are under contract through 2028-29, while Tarris Reed Jr.'s rookie deal could keep him in San Antonio through 2029-30.

Carter Bryant and Jayden Quaintance could also remain on their rookie contracts as the Spurs begin paying their young stars. Those commitments, along with future draft picks, free-agent additions and potential extensions for other players already on the roster, could further tighten San Antonio's flexibility. That's where Fox enters the conversation.

The 28-year-old point guard is guaranteed $57.41 million in 2028-29 and $61.37 million in 2029-30, meaning the Spurs could eventually be balancing his contract with maximum or near-maximum salaries for Wembanyama, Castle and Harper, if all four remain together.

Fox's contract doesn't expire until 2030, and there is currently no indication San Antonio plans to move him before then. Especially not after a trip to the NBA Finals.

“It's not even a question,” Wembanyama said of his trust in Fox during the NBA Finals. “That's his identity. The trust is complete. We know (he's) as reliable as they get."

Whether Fox finishes the deal with the Spurs, however, could eventually become a financial decision depending on the development — and subsequent price tags — of their three young cornerstones. The NBA's current system is designed to create those talks.

League commissioner Adam Silver defended the second apron after an NBA Board of Governors meeting this week, explaining that the league's goal in its recent CBA has been to create greater parity between teams regardless of market size or ownership wealth.

“The point was to design a system ... more NFL-like,” Silver said, “where every team was put in a position where, regardless of market size, they could compete for championships.”

Jun 3, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks to the media before Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Teams above the second apron aren't simply responsible for a larger tax bill. They also face restrictions on trades, free agency and other methods of adding talent, making it increasingly difficult for expensive rosters to maintain or improve their supporting casts.

Silver acknowledged that the system can negatively affect individual players seeking contracts or particular opportunities, but said the league evaluates its success based on how it affects all 30 teams. He's been pleased with the results thus far.

"It’s my job to look out for the fan bases of 30 teams," Silver said, citing eight different champions in the last eight seasons. "I think this is the best system we've ever had."

Silver said there could be changes when the league and Players Association eventually return to negotiations, but maintained that the current system has accomplished much of what the NBA intended. In San Antonio, the second apron isn't lurking just yet; its immediate financial situation remains manageable as things stand.

The Spurs have one standard roster spot remaining and enough room beneath their hard cap to fill it, even if doing so could push them closer to or beyond the luxury-tax threshold.

The longer-term picture will require more planning. Wembanyama's extension begins next season, Castle and Harper could command maximum extensions in the following years and Fox is owed increasingly larger salaries through the 2029-30 season.

How the Spurs handle those contracts will determine how close they come to the NBA's aprons — and eventually, which pieces of their current core they can afford to keep together.

But those decisions remain years away. For now, San Antonio's focus remains on returning to the NBA Finals this season with the roster it has meticulously assembled.

"I've always said the guys on the court will dictate how fast we go," Spurs general manager Brian Wright said after the 2026 NBA Draft. "They drove really fast this year ... and we're proud of that. It was obviously a great season. A lot to learn and grow from."

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