CapmathThe NBA Cap Ledger
Vol. XI · 2026-27 · Computed live
Vol. XI · 2026-27 · Computed live
Charlotte Hornets · Salary cap report
Hornets are $5.5M over the cap on payroll.
Charlotte Hornets payroll for the 2026-27 season is $170.5M against a $165.0M salary cap.
Payroll, the money committed to the roster, is signed salaries, dead money, and drafted-rookie holds: $170.5M. Counting cap holds for their own free agents, the Hornets' cap number rises to $197.4M, which is why there is no usable cap space until those holds come off the books. Renouncing every free-agent hold would open -$5.5M of room and give up Bird rights. Drafted-rookie holds count against the cap, not the luxury tax.
Run Hornets' offseason yourself→Under the tax on payroll
What the numbers mean
Payroll$170.5M
The salaries actually committed to players right now.
Counts against the cap$197.4M
What the league counts: payroll plus free-agent hold placeholders.
Luxury tax lineUNDERby $30.0M
Cross it and the team pays a penalty on every dollar over.
First apron lineUNDERby $38.0M
A stricter line. Over it, the bigger roster tools freeze. The apron figure counts $0.5M in unlikely bonuses on top of payroll: incentive money a player probably won't earn, which counts against the aprons but not the cap or tax.
Where the Hornets land · payroll against the cap lines
Cap$165.0MTax$200.4MApron 1$209.0MApron 2$221.7M
The solid bar is real payroll. The hatched extension is a free-agent hold crossing the cap line. Renounce it and the room clears.
The apron math · what counts toward the aprons
Payroll (contracts, dead money, drafted rookies)$170.5M
Unlikely bonuses+$0.5M
Apron figure$171.0M
First apron $209.0MUNDERby $38.0M
Second apron $221.7MUNDERby $50.7M
Free-agent cap holds never count toward the aprons. Only payroll (with drafted rookies booked as signed) and unlikely bonuses, incentive money a player probably won't earn, do.
The books
2026-27 focused
| Player | Pos | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Signed contracts | ||||
| Naz Reid | F | $23.3M | $25.0M | $26.7M |
| Coby White | G | $22.8M | $24.7M | $26.5M |
| Grayson Allen | G | $18.1M | $19.4M | – |
| Brandon Miller | F | TO$15.1M | – | – |
| Grant Williams | F | $14.3M | – | – |
| Dorian Finney-Smith | F | $13.3M | $13.3M | $13.3M |
| Royce O'Neale | F | $10.9M | $11.6M | – |
| Kon Knueppel | G | $10.5M | TO$11.0M | TO$13.9M |
| Tidjane Salaun | F | TO$8.2M | TO$10.4M | – |
| Tre Mann | G | $8.0M | TO$8.0M | – |
| Pat Connaughton | G | TO$3.8M | – | – |
| Liam McNeeley | F | $2.9M | TO$3.0M | TO$5.5M |
| Moussa Diabate | F | $2.5M | – | – |
| Sion James | G | $2.4M | $2.5M | TO$2.7M |
| Ryan Kalkbrenner | C | $2.4M | $2.5M | TO$2.7M |
| Mouhamadou Gueye | F | $2.4M | – | – |
| Signed subtotal | $161.0M | $131.6M | $91.4M | |
| Draft picks · on roster, rookie-scale hold | ||||
| Hannes Steinbach · No. 14ROOKIE | – | $5.2M | – | – |
| Christian Anderson Jr. · No. 18ROOKIE | – | $4.3M | – | – |
| Payroll | $170.5M | $131.6M | $91.4M | |
| Cap holds · placeholders, not paid | ||||
| Malaki BranhamBIRD 300% | F | $14.9M | – | – |
| Xavier TillmanEARLY BIRD | F | $3.3M | – | – |
| Antonio ReevesMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| PJ HallMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Michael AjayiMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Kylan BoswellMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Grant WilliamsBIRD 190% | F | – | $27.1M | – |
| Moussa DiabateNON-BIRD | F | – | $3.0M | – |
| Pat ConnaughtonNON-BIRD | G | – | $4.6M | – |
| Brandon MillerBIRD 250% | F | – | $37.8M | – |
| Tre MannBIRD 190% | G | – | – | $15.2M |
| Tidjane SalaunBIRD 300% | F | – | – | $31.3M |
| Kon KnueppelBIRD 250% | G | – | – | – |
| Liam McNeeleyBIRD 300% | F | – | – | – |
| Sion JamesBIRD 300% | G | – | – | – |
| Ryan KalkbrennerBIRD 300% | C | – | – | – |
| Grayson AllenBIRD 150% | F | – | – | $29.1M |
| Royce O'NealeBIRD 190% | F | – | – | $22.1M |
| Dorian Finney-SmithBIRD 190% | F | – | – | – |
| Mouhamadou GueyeNON-BIRD | F | – | $2.9M | – |
| Counts against the cap | $197.4M | $206.8M | $190.7M | |
What they can add
Non-Taxpayer MLEup to $15.0M
The full mid-level signing slot for adding an outside free agent. Using it locks their spending at the first apron for the rest of the season.
Bi-Annual Exceptionup to $5.4M
A smaller signing slot, usable every other year. Using it also locks their spending at the first apron.
Bird rightsLets them re-sign their own free agents for more than other teams can offer, up to the max.
Trade exceptions
Trade exception · from the Collin Sexton tradeup to $8.2M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Feb 4, 2027.
Trade exception · from the Mason Plumlee tradeup to $2.3M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Feb 4, 2027.
Trade exception · from the Tyus Jones tradeup to $7.0M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Feb 5, 2027.
Trade exception · from the LaMelo Ball tradeup to $11.8M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Jun 25, 2027.
Trade exception · from the Miles Bridges tradeup to $9.5M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Jun 28, 2027.
A trade exception is a credit from an earlier trade, not money on the books, so it does not count toward the cap, tax, or apron. On file as of Aug 1, 2026; may not be complete.
Decisions ahead
Option calls before 2027-28
Kon Knueppel $11.0M team option, Tidjane Salaun $10.4M team option, Tre Mann $8.0M team option, Liam McNeeley $3.0M team option.
Expiring after 2026-27
Brandon Miller $15.1M, Grant Williams $14.3M, Pat Connaughton $3.8M, Moussa Diabate $2.5M, Mouhamadou Gueye $2.4M come off the books.
Front office
Run the Hornets offseason
Take these exact books into the GM Machine and re-sign, sign, waive, stretch, and draft, with every cap rule checked and explained as you go.
Draft picks through 2033
The Hornets control 14 first-round and 18 second-round picks, 3 carrying swap rights.
2026
2026 1st (own) · No. 14
2026 1st (via ORL) · No. 18
Orlando's own first conveyed to Charlotte, landing at pick 18, routed via Phoenix from the Desmond Bane trade chain.
Their own 2nd, owed to SAC · No. 45
Charlotte's own second conveyed to Sacramento at pick 45, routed via San Antonio, Atlanta, and New York.
2027
2027 1st (own)
2027 1st (via DAL)
Owed to Charlotte, protected 1-2; if DAL picks 1 or 2 the first does not convey and Charlotte instead receives a Miami 2028 second. From the February 2024 PJ Washington trade.
2027 1st (via MIA)
Top-14 protected first owed to Charlotte from the January 2024 Terry Rozier trade; if it lands 1-14 it does not convey and Charlotte instead gets an unprotected 2028 MIA first.
2027 2nd (via MEM)
Memphis's own second, owed to Houston then sent on to Charlotte in the July 2026 Dorian Finney-Smith trade.
2027 2nd (via NOP)
Charlotte holds the more favorable of the New Orleans and Portland 2027 seconds, no protections, tied to the February 2023 Josh Richardson trade chain.
Their own 2nd, owed to SAC
Charlotte's own second owed to Sacramento, which may convey it onward to Oklahoma City if San Antonio's 2027 first lands 1-16. From the Nique Clifford trade chain.
2028
2028 1st (own, swap rights attached)
Charlotte holds the right to swap its own 2028 first for Minnesota's, from the July 2026 LaMelo Ball trade. Charlotte keeps its slot unless it swaps.
2028 2nd (via HOU)
Houston's own second conveyed to Charlotte in the July 2026 Dorian Finney-Smith trade.
2028 2nd (via LAC)
Charlotte takes the more favorable of the Charlotte and Clippers 2028 seconds; the less favorable goes to Detroit. The Clippers slot is the one projected more favorable and goes to Charlotte.
2028 2nd (via ORL)
Owed to Charlotte, attached in the February 2026 Tyus Jones trade.
Their own 2nd, owed to DET
Detroit receives the less favorable of the Charlotte and Clippers 2028 seconds; Charlotte keeps the more favorable. Charlotte's own slot is the one projected less favorable and goes to Detroit.
2029
2029 1st (own)
2029 1st (via MIN, swap rights attached)
Charlotte gets the least favorable of the UTA, CLE, and MIN 2029 firsts, top-5 protected on Minnesota's slot; if Minnesota lands top-5 it does not convey and Minnesota instead sends its 2029 second to Utah. The July 2026 LaMelo Ball trade added a Charlotte right to swap that least-favorable pool pick for Minnesota's 2029 first, protected 6-30. Charlotte may convey the resulting pick to Phoenix in the pending Miles Bridges trade. Utah keeps the two most favorable. Minnesota's slot entered the pool in the 2022 Rudy Gobert trade.
2029 2nd (own)
2029 2nd (via DEN)
Owed to Charlotte, conditional on Denver having already conveyed a first to Oklahoma City by then; not a clean unconditional second.
2029 2nd (via MIN)
Owed to Charlotte if Minnesota conveys a first to Utah in 2029, otherwise to Utah. From the July 2026 LaMelo Ball trade.
2030
2030 1st (own, swap rights attached)
Charlotte holds the right to swap its own 2030 first for the 2030 first Minnesota ends up holding, under complex conditions, from the July 2026 LaMelo Ball trade. Charlotte keeps its slot unless it swaps.
2030 2nd (via LAC)
Charlotte receives a 2030 second from the Utah and Clippers pool, no protections, in the Collin Sexton deal. Charlotte takes the more favorable of the two; which of Utah and the Clippers retains the less favorable is reported both ways.
Their own 2nd, owed to BOS
Charlotte's own second owed to Boston, top-55 protected, conveying only at 56-60 and otherwise extinguished, from the February 2026 Xavier Tillman trade.
2031
2031 1st (own)
2031 2nd (own)
2031 2nd (via MIL)
Owed to Charlotte from the Pat Connaughton (Vasilije Micic) deal.
2031 2nd (via PHX)
Owed to Charlotte, unprotected, from the January 15 2025 Nick Richards and Josh Okogie trade.
2032
2032 1st (own)
2032 2nd (own)
2032 2nd (via MIL)
Owed to Charlotte from the Pat Connaughton deal.
2032 2nd (via MIN)
Owed to Charlotte in the July 2026 LaMelo Ball trade.
2033
2033 1st (own)
2033 1st (via MIN)
Minnesota's own first owed to Charlotte, unprotected, in the July 2026 LaMelo Ball trade.
2033 1st (via PHX)
Phoenix's own first owed to Charlotte in the June 2026 Miles Bridges trade, with Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale. Unprotected, agreed and pending finalization.
2033 2nd (own)
2033 2nd (via HOU)
Houston's own second conveyed to Charlotte in the July 2026 Dorian Finney-Smith trade.
2033 2nd (via MIN)
Owed to Charlotte in the July 2026 LaMelo Ball trade.
Protections and swap conditions in plain English. Full story on the Hornets draft picks page.
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