Blazers Salary Cap Breakdown & Analysis Headed Into Free Agency

The Portland Trail Blazers had a quiet draft, but they aren't expected to be so silent during the free agency period.

Even with a new owner in Tom Dundon, who has expressed a hesitancy towards spending a lot of money, the Blazers have the potential to push their team in the right direction if they play their cards right this offseason.

Blazers Salary Cap Information

Tom Dundon is introduced during the first half during a game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the New Orleans Pelicans. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The Blazers find themselves with -$66.3 million in cap space. However, they have about $30.8 million of room before having to foot a luxury tax bill, which Dundon is looking to steer clear of.

Portland has 12 players under contract going into the season, with Sidy Cissoko and Vit Krejci on non-guaranteed deals. Jayson Kent and Chris Youngblood have two-way contracts, meaning there is one more spot open for a two-way deal.

Because they are not paying the luxury tax, the Blazers have $15 million in space they can use for the non-taxpayer mid-level exception. They also have the bi-annual exception, which is worth $5.5 million. The Blazers can use that money to sign free agents to fill out their roster.

With only 12 roster spots filled, the Blazers can sign three players to the active roster and one two-way player without having to part ways with anyone.

Blazers Free Agents

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic controls the ball as Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III guards. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The most notable free agents for the Blazers are Matisse Thybulle and Robert Williams III, both of whom are veterans that can help push Portland forward in their pursuit of the top of the Western Conference standings.

Thybulle is a defensive-minded wing that every team needs to have on their roster. These hungry defenders can guard some of the best scorers in the game, and they can be quite resourceful on both ends of the floor if they can knock down an open shot. Thybulle's 39.8 percent shooting rate from beyond the arc last season suggests that he is one of those types of players.

While Thybulle spent a good chunk of the season on the sidelines with an injury, he was healthy by the end of the year. Portland should look to sign him to a new contract using part of the non-taxpayer MLE.

As for Williams, he has suitors in free agency, including the Los Angeles Lakers, so Portland will have to pay up to keep him. It's very possible that he will not return because Hansen could step into his spot as the backup center. The rookie from China proved that he is still an incredibly raw prospect, and it might benefit the Blazers to have a veteran at that spot for the next year or so.

Whether Williams is that veteran or not depends on general manager Joe Cronin and his decision coming up.

As for the other free agents, Caleb Love is a restricted free agent on a two-way contract, and he could very well fill in that third two-way slot going into the season. Blake Wesley is unrestricted and did not get much of a chance to showcase himself this past season as he dealt with the leg injury.

Wesley could sign for the minimum and give himself another chance to prove that he is worth investing in for the NBA.

Free agency negotiations are set to begin on Monday at 3 p.m. PT. Teams and players can officially sign their new contracts and finalize deals on July 6 at 9:01 a.m. when the league year starts.

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