Max salary tiers

A player's maximum starting salary is a percentage of the salary cap, set by his years of service: 25% with 0–6 years, 30% with 7–9, and 35% with 10 or more.

Annual raises on top of the starting max are larger for a player re-signing with Bird rights (8% of the first-year salary) than for one changing teams (5%). That gap is the structural advantage incumbent teams hold.